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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: bark · present · march · pit · nail · mark · board · track

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a grade
  3. track — to keep track
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bark — to shout
  9. board — a committee
  10. pit — a hole
  11. present — there
  12. present — the time now
  13. march — the month
  14. board — to get on
  15. march — the month
  16. pit — in a race
  17. track — a song
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. present — a gift
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mark — a trace
  22. march — music
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. track — a path

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