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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.

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
468
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: current · straw · toast · fan · wind · hide · chair · mug

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. current — happening now
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — moving air
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. current — of water
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. chair — a leader
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. current — electric
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mug — a face
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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