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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: roll · suit · bay · content · hand · chip · track · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. suit — to fit
  4. hand — in cards
  5. track — a path
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. track — a song
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bass — low music
  11. suit — clothes
  12. roll — a list
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. hand — help
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. content — the amount
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. suit — in cards
  19. roll — a cake
  20. content — happy
  21. track — to keep track
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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