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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: mug · current · race · sharp · chair · staff · rush · cell

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. race — the arms race
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. race — humankind
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. sharp — clever
  8. race — a contest
  9. mug — a face
  10. current — happening now
  11. mug — to rob
  12. cell — in biology
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. cell — a phone
  16. staff — employees
  17. chair — a leader
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. current — electric
  20. mug — a cup
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. current — of water
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. rush — hurry

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