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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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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. can — a tin
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chair — a leader
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. present — the time now
  7. current — electric
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wind — moving air
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — in sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. present — a gift
  16. can — a tin
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. can — to be able to
  22. current — of water
  23. current — happening now
  24. present — there

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