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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: current · swing · chair · firm · season · chip · hide · patient

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. current — of water
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. season — in sport
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. current — happening now
  10. swing — music
  11. firm — a company
  12. season — of the year
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. firm — decided
  16. chair — a leader
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. chip — to eat
  20. current — electric
  21. firm — steady
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. swing — in golf
  24. patient — a sick person

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