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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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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: swing · tear · branch · file · bowl · stand · calf · key

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. swing — music
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. swing — in golf
  6. file — a document
  7. tear — from crying
  8. key — the most important part
  9. branch — a division
  10. file — a line of people
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. key — for a lock
  15. swing — to play on
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. key — in music
  18. file — a tool
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. branch — of a tree
  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