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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: fan · rush · wind · chip · staff · suit · current · temple

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. chip — for betting
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. chip — to eat
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rush — hurry
  9. wind — moving air
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. suit — clothes
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. current — electric
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. staff — employees
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. staff — employees
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. suit — in cards
  23. current — of water
  24. temple — a place of worship

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