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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.

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: mug · chair · current · bowl · season · vault · fan · lie

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. current — of water
  5. mug — a cup
  6. chair — a leader
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. lie — to recline
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. season — in sport
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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