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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: current · mark · lean · rash · craft · court · racket · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lean — to bend
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rash — hasty
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. craft — boats
  9. court — of a king
  10. craft — a skill
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. current — electric
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. court — of law
  16. lean — thin
  17. mark — a grade
  18. current — of water
  19. mark — a trace
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. current — happening now
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. court — for sport
  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