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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
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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 · patient · key · row · face · kick · foot · ball

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. kick — in football
  3. key — the most important part
  4. current — electric
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. ball — a dance
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. row — a line
  15. foot — a measure
  16. ball — a great time
  17. key — for a lock
  18. face — to point toward
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. key — in music
  21. face — to confront
  22. row — to paddle
  23. current — happening now
  24. face — part of the head

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