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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: rush · deal · can · chair · current · club · face · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. current — electric
  3. chair — a leader
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. face — part of the head
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. fine — all right
  11. club — a group
  12. face — to confront
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — for dancing
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. face — to point toward
  22. current — of water
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. current — happening now

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