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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.

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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: fall · wave · bowl · current · suit · key · hide · patient

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fall — to drop
  6. suit — in cards
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. current — happening now
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. current — of water
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fall — the season
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. fall — to drop
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. key — for a lock
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. suit — to fit

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