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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: lie · drill · chest · pass · mark · file · branch · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pass — a permit
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. file — a document
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. mark — a grade
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — a box
  13. drill — a practice
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. drill — army training
  16. chest — of your body
  17. drill — the tool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. branch — a division
  21. file — a line of people
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. file — a tool

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