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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: jam · key · ruler · board · sharp · can · tear · lean

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. board — to get on
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. can — a tin
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. tear — from crying
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. lean — thin
  15. tear — from crying
  16. sharp — clever
  17. lean — to bend
  18. tear — to rip
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. board — a committee
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. key — for a lock
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. jam — in traffic

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