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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 · lean · branch · lie · safe · stand · last · game

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. lean — to bend
  6. tube — a container
  7. last — finally
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. last — to go on
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lean — thin
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. game — a match
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. game — wild animals
  21. branch — a division
  22. last — final
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stand — to bear

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