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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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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: deal · track · content · pitcher · tube · chip · ground · racket

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. content — the amount
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. ground — the earth
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. ground — a position
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. chip — to eat
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. content — happy
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. chip — for betting
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. deal — to handle
  18. ground — crushed
  19. track — a song
  20. tube — a container
  21. track — a path
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. tube — the underground

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