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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.

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: patient · safe · bark · face · current · rule · craft · last

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. current — electric
  3. rule — a law
  4. face — to confront
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. last — to go on
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — of water
  11. face — to point toward
  12. last — final
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. face — part of the head
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. last — finally
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. craft — boats

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