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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
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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: patient · present · trunk · press · ruler · current

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. current — of water
  5. current — happening now
  6. present — there
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. press — a publisher
  10. current — electric
  11. press — newspapers
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — a gift
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. ruler — a monarch

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