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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: rule · content · chip · track · perch · court · can · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. content — the amount
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. court — of law
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. court — of a king
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. content — happy
  11. perch — the fish
  12. rule — a law
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. can — a tin
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — for betting
  17. can — a tin
  18. rule — government
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. can — to be able to
  23. court — for sport
  24. track — a path

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