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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: bark · wave · pass · board · cue · sharp · track · patient

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a path
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pass — a permit
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cue — for pool
  20. board — a committee
  21. track — a song
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bark — to shout

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