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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: root · cell · bound · fall · arm · tube · content · hide

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bound — obliged
  5. content — the amount
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. tube — a container
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cell — in biology
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fall — the season
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. fall — to drop
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cell — a phone
  19. bound — tied together
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bound — certain
  22. content — happy
  23. fall — to drop
  24. content — videos and posts

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