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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · straw · deal · hand · scale · charge · coach · fork

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. deal — to handle
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. charge — electricity
  7. chip — for betting
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. scale — size or range
  14. charge — in control
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. scale — in music
  21. hand — help
  22. charge — a price
  23. chip — to eat
  24. deal — an agreement

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