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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: current · lie · chest · chair · ruler · file · suit · jam

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. suit — in cards
  3. lie — to recline
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a tool
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. suit — clothes
  10. chest — a box
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. chest — of your body
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. file — a document
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chest — of your body
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. current — electric
  24. chair — a leader

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