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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 116 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: safe · plane · branch · lie · scale · tear · stock · track

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. branch — a division
  3. scale — size or range
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a path
  6. tear — from crying
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. lie — to recline
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. tear — to rip
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stock — shares
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. track — a song
  18. tear — from crying
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. scale — in music
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. branch — of a bank

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