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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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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 · present · chair · suit · firm · hide · track · sharp

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  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. firm — decided
  2. suit — in cards
  3. track — a path
  4. current — happening now
  5. present — there
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. chair — a leader
  9. suit — clothes
  10. track — to keep track
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. current — electric
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. track — a song
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. firm — steady
  18. current — of water
  19. suit — to fit
  20. present — the time now
  21. firm — a company
  22. present — a gift
  23. sharp — clever
  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