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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. content — the amount
  6. current — electric
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. content — happy
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. current — of water
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. chair — a leader
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. current — happening now
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — hurry

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