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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: leaves · sharp · rule · jam · content · straw · board · can

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. board — to get on
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rule — government
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rule — a law
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. content — the amount
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. sharp — clever
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. board — a committee
  20. can — a tin
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. can — a tin
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. content — happy

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