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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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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: chip · track · snap · game · mug · band · perch · deal

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. snap — to click
  4. deal — to handle
  5. chip — for betting
  6. game — a match
  7. band — a ring
  8. track — to keep track
  9. perch — the fish
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. chip — to eat
  13. track — a song
  14. band — a music group
  15. mug — a cup
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. mug — to rob
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. mug — a face
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — wild animals

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