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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.

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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: face · ball · patient · current · hide · rule · sharp · key

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. key — in music
  3. rule — a law
  4. face — to point toward
  5. rule — government
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. face — to confront
  8. key — for a lock
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. ball — a dance
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. current — electric
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. face — part of the head
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. current — of water
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. current — happening now
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. key — the most important part

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