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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 120 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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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: cue · cap · track · wake · rule · arm · content · dip

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. track — to keep track
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rule — government
  6. cap — a hat
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rule — a law
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. content — happy
  13. cap — a lid
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. cap — of ice
  17. track — a song
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. content — the amount
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. dip — to sink
  24. cue — a hint

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