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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. snap — to snap out of it
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. current — of water
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. foot — a measure
  8. mug — a face
  9. sharp — clever
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. wound — an injury
  15. current — happening now
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. current — electric
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. mug — to rob
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wound — an injury
  23. mug — a cup
  24. chair — a leader

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