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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: band · foot · row · dip · hide · firm · branch · wound

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. band — a ring
  5. wound — an injury
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. firm — decided
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. foot — a measure
  11. firm — a company
  12. row — a line
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. firm — steady
  17. dip — to sink
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. band — a music group
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com