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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: roll · jam · plane · branch · safe · lie · stick · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. roll — a list
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. lie — to recline
  14. plane — a tool
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. branch — a division
  24. safe — a strongbox

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