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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.

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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. staff — employees
  3. spell — letters
  4. current — happening now
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. staff — a stick
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bass — the fish
  12. current — of water
  13. current — electric
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. spell — a short time
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. spell — magic
  21. bass — low music
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. staff — employees
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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