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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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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 · temple · row · snap · calf · current · root · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. root — of a word
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. dip — to sink
  5. current — happening now
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. current — electric
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. root — of a plant
  11. snap — to click
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a line
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. root — the cause
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. current — of water
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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