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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: branch · lie · toast · hand · ground · rock · mark · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rock — music
  4. toast — bread
  5. ground — crushed
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mark — a grade
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. mark — a trace
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ground — the earth
  15. hand — in cards
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. ground — a position
  18. branch — a division
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. rock — a stone
  21. hand — help
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lie — an untruth

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