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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 · hide · root · branch · hand · present · rule · track

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. present — the time now
  3. track — a path
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. present — a gift
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hand — in cards
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rule — a law
  10. track — to keep track
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. bound — obliged
  14. branch — a division
  15. rule — government
  16. bound — certain
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. track — a song
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hand — help
  23. root — of a plant
  24. present — there

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