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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: ball · can · bound · content · suit · band · jam · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bound — certain
  4. can — a tin
  5. band — a music group
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. suit — to fit
  8. band — a ring
  9. suit — clothes
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. content — happy
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bound — tied together
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. can — to be able to
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. can — a tin
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. suit — in cards
  23. content — the amount
  24. bound — obliged

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