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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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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: suit · deal · chip · foot · content · wind · rush · cap

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. suit — clothes
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. deal — to handle
  5. chip — to eat
  6. content — happy
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. cap — a lid
  11. suit — to fit
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. cap — of ice
  15. wind — moving air
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. cap — a hat
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — a measure
  22. rush — hurry
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. chip — for betting

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