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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 116 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: mug · pop · wound · stand · swing · safe · branch · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pop — soda
  4. swing — to play on
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a face
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. branch — a division
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pop — to visit
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. wound — an injury
  16. swing — in golf
  17. wound — an injury
  18. chip — to eat
  19. stand — to bear
  20. pop — music
  21. swing — music
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mug — a cup
  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