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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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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: face · row · rule · stem · bank · present · current · patient

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. row — to paddle
  3. present — a gift
  4. stem — to come from
  5. rule — government
  6. current — of water
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. present — the time now
  9. row — a line
  10. face — to point toward
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bank — for money
  15. rule — a law
  16. face — to confront
  17. bank — for money
  18. current — electric
  19. face — part of the head
  20. present — there
  21. current — happening now
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. patient — a sick person

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