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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cap · jam · object · sharp · leaves · straw · tear · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. tear — from crying
  4. cap — a hat
  5. suit — clothes
  6. tear — to rip
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. object — a thing
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. tear — from crying
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. cap — of ice
  13. suit — to fit
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. cap — a lid
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. object — to protest
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. object — an aim
  22. sharp — clever
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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