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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: stand · content · rule · sharp · pit · clip · board · wax

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. clip — for paper
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. board — a committee
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pit — in a race
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. content — the amount
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. sharp — clever
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. clip — a video
  14. board — to get on
  15. pit — a hole
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. content — happy
  18. rule — government
  19. clip — to cut
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rule — a law
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. stand — for spectators

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