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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.

Make a worksheet

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: chair · current · jam · cell · fine · file · charge · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. file — a tool
  3. chair — a leader
  4. current — electric
  5. rest — what's left
  6. current — of water
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. file — a document
  9. charge — a price
  10. rest — what's left
  11. file — a line of people
  12. fine — all right
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. fine — high quality
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. charge — electricity
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. charge — in control
  23. current — happening now
  24. cell — a phone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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