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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 120 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: hide · branch · tear · content · dip · firm · suit · current

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — from crying
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. firm — steady
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. dip — to sink
  7. suit — to fit
  8. current — electric
  9. firm — decided
  10. suit — in cards
  11. current — of water
  12. suit — clothes
  13. content — the amount
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — a division
  20. current — happening now
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. content — happy
  23. firm — a company
  24. tear — to rip

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