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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: rule · lean · hand · firm · snap · branch · mate · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. mate — to breed
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — in cards
  7. lean — thin
  8. firm — steady
  9. rule — a law
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. mate — a partner
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. hand — help
  16. snap — to click
  17. firm — a company
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — government
  21. branch — a division
  22. lean — to bend
  23. mate — a friend
  24. firm — decided

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