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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: track · tube · safe · jam · lie · board · lean · chest

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. tube — a container
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chest — a box
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. chest — of your body
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. track — to keep track
  12. board — to get on
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. lean — to bend
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. track — a song
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. chest — of your body
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. lean — thin
  21. tube — the underground
  22. lie — to recline
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — a flat piece

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