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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 · chair · saw · sharp · safe · staff · toast · tube

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. current — of water
  3. saw — the tool
  4. chair — a leader
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. staff — employees
  7. current — electric
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. toast — bread
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. tube — the underground
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. sharp — clever
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. saw — the tool
  17. tube — a container
  18. current — happening now
  19. staff — employees
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. staff — a stick
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. sharp — exactly

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