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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chair · snap · bear · rash · current · fine

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. 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. chair — a professorship
  2. fine — high quality
  3. current — happening now
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bear — the animal
  8. current — of water
  9. snap — to click
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. current — electric
  14. fine — all right
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. rash — hasty
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. 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