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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 · game · cue · wound · racket · safe · board · pop

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. game — a match
  8. pop — to visit
  9. branch — a division
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — an injury
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. pop — music
  18. game — wild animals
  19. board — a committee
  20. pop — soda
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. board — to get on
  23. cue — a signal
  24. game — a kind of play

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