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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rush — hurry
  3. club — for golf
  4. deal — to handle
  5. firm — a company
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. chip — for betting
  11. board — a committee
  12. club — a group
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. firm — decided
  15. board — to get on
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. club — for dancing
  18. firm — steady

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