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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 120 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: board · pitch · current · present · patient · root · wave · perch

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. pitch — completely
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. present — there
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. root — the cause
  9. current — electric
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. root — of a plant
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. board — a committee
  14. present — a gift
  15. root — of a word
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. board — to get on
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. present — the time now
  24. current — of water

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