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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: lie · tube · branch · board · scale · roll · mine · safe

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lie — to recline
  5. roll — a cake
  6. tube — a container
  7. mine — for digging
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. roll — a list
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. scale — in music
  19. tube — the underground
  20. board — to get on
  21. branch — a division
  22. board — a committee
  23. scale — size or range
  24. roll — on a roll

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