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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: court · content · mate · track · wave · bound · ruler · pitcher

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mate — to breed
  4. court — of law
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bound — tied together
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. mate — a friend
  11. track — a song
  12. court — of a king
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bound — certain
  16. track — a path
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — happy
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. court — for sport
  24. pitcher — a jug

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