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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 116 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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. swing — in golf
  3. suit — in cards
  4. swing — music
  5. suit — clothes
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. swing — to play on
  11. suit — to fit
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. current — happening now
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. chair — a leader
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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