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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: root · content · bound · present · fall · rule · pitch · patient

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. root — the cause
  4. fall — the season
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — obliged
  7. rule — a law
  8. fall — to drop
  9. content — happy
  10. rule — government
  11. present — there
  12. present — the time now
  13. fall — to drop
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. present — a gift
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. content — the amount
  23. root — of a word
  24. patient — a sick person

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