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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: wax · press · jam · bound · fan · current · chair · arm

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. current — electric
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bound — obliged
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. chair — a leader
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. press — a publisher
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. current — happening now
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. press — to push
  23. bound — tied together
  24. current — of water

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