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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.

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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: row · present · sharp · hand · branch · mate · racket · firm

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. present — a gift
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mate — to breed
  8. present — there
  9. row — to paddle
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. present — the time now
  17. row — a line
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. hand — help
  20. mate — a partner
  21. branch — a division
  22. hand — in cards
  23. mate — a friend
  24. sharp — clever

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