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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: tube · branch · last · safe · band · race · rash · lean

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. tube — the underground
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — the arms race
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. band — a ring
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. rash — hasty
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — finally
  13. rash — a series
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. lean — to bend
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. race — humankind
  21. band — a music group
  22. tube — a container
  23. last — final
  24. lean — thin

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