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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 120 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: band · safe · lie · fan · bulb · pop · branch · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. band — a music group
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pop — music
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. branch — a division
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bulb — for light
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bulb — for light
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. chip — for betting
  19. lie — to recline
  20. band — a ring
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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