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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · tube · bear · trunk · root · stand · dip · scale

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bear — the animal
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bear — the animal
  11. scale — size or range
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. tube — the underground
  14. root — the cause
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. dip — to sink
  18. stand — to bear
  19. branch — a division
  20. root — of a plant
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. tube — a container
  23. scale — in music
  24. root — of a word

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