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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
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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: firm · fork · chair · shower · wake · current · suit · mark

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — rain
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. suit — in cards
  6. current — electric
  7. suit — clothes
  8. chair — a leader
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. firm — a company
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. suit — to fit
  16. firm — steady
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. wake — a trail
  20. fork — in a road
  21. current — happening now
  22. firm — decided
  23. current — of water
  24. fork — a garden tool

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