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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 120 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 · root · tube · bay · leaves · stand · chip · straw

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — obliged
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. chip — for betting
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. root — of a plant
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stand — to bear
  14. root — the cause
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. tube — a container
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. chip — to eat
  20. root — of a word
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bound — certain
  24. straw — a straw man

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