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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: coach · net · deal · patient · lean · root · current · straw

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. net — after costs
  5. deal — to handle
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. root — of a word
  9. net — for catching
  10. lean — thin
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. lean — to bend
  13. net — in sport
  14. root — of a plant
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. root — the cause
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. lean — to rest against

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