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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: firm · straw · fine · branch · spell · tube · sharp · roll

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. tube — a container
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. firm — decided
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. firm — steady
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. spell — magic
  13. sharp — clever
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. roll — a list
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fine — all right
  18. firm — a company
  19. branch — a division
  20. tube — the underground
  21. spell — letters
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. spell — a short time

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