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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. mug — a face
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. fine — all right
  16. current — electric
  17. object — a thing
  18. fine — high quality
  19. object — an aim
  20. pass — a permit
  21. chair — a leader
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. object — to protest
  24. chair — to sit on

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