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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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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 · pound · wound · saw · stand · tube · root · branch

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. stand — to bear
  3. swing — music
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. root — the cause
  9. swing — in golf
  10. root — of a word
  11. saw — the tool
  12. tube — a container
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. saw — the tool
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. branch — a division
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. swing — to play on
  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