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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: current · hide · kid · patient · dip · perch · racket · root

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. root — of a plant
  3. dip — to sink
  4. current — of water
  5. root — the cause
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. perch — the fish
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. kid — to tease
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. root — of a word
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. kid — child

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