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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: present · patient · pass · land · root · fall · current · deal

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. current — electric
  3. present — the time now
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. present — a gift
  8. fall — to drop
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pass — a permit
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. land — to come down
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. land — a country
  16. land — ground
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. root — the cause
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. root — of a word
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fall — the season
  23. current — of water
  24. current — happening now

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