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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: arm · racket · kid · current · ruler · patient · board · rush

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. kid — child
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. current — electric
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. current — happening now
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rush — hurry
  12. board — to get on
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. current — of water
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. kid — to tease
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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