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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: stock · content · hand · branch · plane · tube · safe · coach

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. plane — a tool
  4. branch — a division
  5. content — the amount
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. hand — in cards
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — a container
  16. content — happy
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stock — goods
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. stock — shares
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. tube — the underground
  24. branch — of a tree

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