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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: bound · land · root · jam · current · branch · tube · chip

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. branch — a division
  4. tube — a container
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bound — obliged
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. tube — the underground
  11. root — the cause
  12. current — of water
  13. root — of a plant
  14. land — a country
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. current — happening now
  19. root — of a word
  20. land — ground
  21. land — to come down
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bound — tied together
  24. current — electric

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