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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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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 · suit · wind · mate · craft · pitch · current · ruler

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. craft — a skill
  8. suit — in cards
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. craft — boats
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pitch — completely
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. mate — a partner
  17. current — electric
  18. wind — moving air
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — a leader
  22. mate — a friend
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mate — to breed

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