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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.

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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. current — electric
  3. current — of water
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. can — a tin
  7. cold — not warm
  8. can — a tin
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. can — to be able to
  11. mate — to breed
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mate — a partner
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. current — happening now
  21. cold — an illness
  22. wax — to grow
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. chair — a leader

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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