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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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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: court · track · content · chip · wind · ruler · cue · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. content — happy
  3. wind — moving air
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. court — of law
  10. wind — moving air
  11. cue — for pool
  12. track — a path
  13. content — the amount
  14. cue — a signal
  15. court — for sport
  16. cue — a hint
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. rock — music
  24. court — of a king

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