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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. root — of a word
  3. content — happy
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. press — a publisher
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the sport
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. board — a committee
  12. current — electric
  13. current — of water
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. present — there
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — the cause
  19. present — a gift
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. present — the time now
  22. content — the amount
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. current — happening now

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