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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.

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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: cue · wound · suit · ball · track · patient · board · rush

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. ball — a great time
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. rush — hurry
  6. track — a song
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. board — a committee
  10. wound — an injury
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. track — a path
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. suit — in cards
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. wound — an injury
  20. ball — a dance
  21. cue — a hint
  22. board — to get on
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. patient — a sick person

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