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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · branch · chest · wake · hand · track · content · ruler

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. wake — a trail
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. hand — help
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chest — of your body
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. chest — a box
  11. content — the amount
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. track — a path
  16. content — happy
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a song
  19. chest — of your body
  20. branch — a division
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. safe — out of danger

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