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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: wake · content · track · rash · ruler · pitch · mouse · wave

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. content — the amount
  3. wake — a trail
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. track — a path
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. track — a song
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. track — to keep track
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rash — hasty
  15. content — happy
  16. pitch — completely
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pitch — a sports field

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