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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 120 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. object — to protest
  5. sharp — clever
  6. ball — a great time
  7. object — a thing
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. can — a tin
  12. object — an aim
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. can — a tin
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. chair — a leader
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. current — electric
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. can — to be able to
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. current — happening now

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