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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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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: rule · firm · fine · sharp · arm · rush · dip · jam

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. fine — all right
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. sharp — clever
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. fine — high quality
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rule — government
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. rule — a law
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. dip — to sink

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