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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 120 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: pitch · patient · track · chair · bank · cue · board · bark

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. track — a path
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. cue — a signal
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bank — for money
  10. chair — a leader
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. track — a song
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pitch — completely
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. cue — for pool
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — to get on
  22. bank — for money
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pitch — a sports field

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