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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: calf · roll · stand · branch · scale · board · tube · swing

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. swing — in golf
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. tube — a container
  5. scale — in music
  6. stand — to bear
  7. board — to get on
  8. swing — music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. swing — to play on
  12. roll — a cake
  13. scale — size or range
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. roll — a list
  16. board — a committee
  17. branch — a division
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. tube — the underground

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