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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bear · ball · key · rush · perch · chip · content · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. content — the amount
  5. key — in music
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bear — the animal
  11. track — a song
  12. chip — for betting
  13. ball — a dance
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. track — a path
  16. key — for a lock
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. chip — to eat
  19. content — happy
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bear — the animal
  24. perch — for a bird

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