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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
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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: lie · capital · track · coach · safe · chest · bore · branch

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  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. chest — a box
  2. track — a song
  3. lie — to recline
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bore — to drill
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. track — a path
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chest — of your body
  14. capital — money
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. track — to keep track
  19. capital — a city
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. branch — a division
  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