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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bound — tied together
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. current — happening now
  7. can — to be able to
  8. chair — a leader
  9. can — a tin
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bound — obliged
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bound — certain
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. can — a tin

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