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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: sharp · bank · squash · ball · arm · tube · rule · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  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. branch — of a bank
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rule — a law
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. branch — a division
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. ball — a great time
  16. squash — to crush
  17. tube — a container
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bank — for money
  20. rule — government
  21. ball — a dance
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. tube — the underground
  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