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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.

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: trunk · can · nail · rash · racket · court · craft · patient

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. can — a tin
  5. craft — a skill
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — for sport
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. court — of law
  13. craft — boats
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. can — a tin
  19. rash — a series
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. can — to be able to
  24. racket — for tennis

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