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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: content · track · court · rash · bank · chair · coach · wave

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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. court — of law
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bank — for money
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. content — the amount
  9. rash — hasty
  10. track — to keep track
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. court — for sport
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. track — a path
  15. rash — a series
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. content — happy
  18. chair — a leader
  19. bank — for money
  20. track — a song
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bank — of a river
  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