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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
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: content · chair · object · pop · safe · pound · fan · current

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pop — music
  3. object — a thing
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. content — happy
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pop — soda
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. object — an aim
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. current — of water
  18. pound — a weight
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. content — the amount
  21. pop — to visit
  22. current — electric
  23. object — to protest
  24. current — happening now

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