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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: bound · jam · content · rule · toast · ball · leaves · lean

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — certain
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. lean — thin
  6. rule — government
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bound — obliged
  9. lean — to bend
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. content — happy
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. ball — a great time
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. toast — bread
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. rule — a law
  22. ball — a dance
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. content — the amount

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