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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.

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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: track · mouse · racket · tear · ball · trunk · wind · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. tear — from crying
  4. wind — moving air
  5. track — a path
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. tear — to rip
  9. track — to keep track
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. track — a song
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. tear — from crying
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. wind — moving air
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. mouse — for a computer

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