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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
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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: track · lie · mug · can · wave · content · capital · wound

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. can — to be able to
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wound — an injury
  6. track — a song
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. track — a path
  9. can — a tin
  10. wound — an injury
  11. mug — to rob
  12. can — a tin
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. mug — a face
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. mug — a cup
  20. capital — a city
  21. track — to keep track
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. capital — money
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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