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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.

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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
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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: key · hide · leaves · face · tube · mate · last · current

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. current — happening now
  4. face — to point toward
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a friend
  9. face — part of the head
  10. key — for a lock
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. mate — a partner
  13. face — to confront
  14. last — to go on
  15. key — the most important part
  16. current — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — a container
  21. last — final
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. last — finally
  24. key — in music

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