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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 120 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: craft · hide · trunk · object · patient · current · face · perch

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. face — to confront
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. object — a thing
  5. face — part of the head
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. current — of water
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. face — to point toward
  12. object — to protest
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. current — electric
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. current — happening now
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. perch — the fish

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