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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · mug · current · patient · track · wind · leaves · racket

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. track — a song
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. spring — of water
  5. current — of water
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. mug — to rob
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. current — electric
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. spring — a coil
  15. mug — a face
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. track — a path
  19. wind — moving air
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mug — a cup
  22. spring — the season
  23. wind — moving air
  24. track — to keep track

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