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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: capital · can · branch · pit · lie · coach · race · straw

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pit — a hole
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. capital — money
  7. can — a tin
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lie — to recline
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. can — to be able to
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. race — the arms race
  20. can — a tin
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. race — a contest
  23. pit — in a race
  24. race — humankind

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