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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: coach · safe · chest · leaves · stem · cabinet · branch · fork

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stem — to come from
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. fork — in a road
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. branch — a division
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. chest — of your body
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. chest — of your body
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chest — a box

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