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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: chip · suit · saw · track · hand · deal · pit · wound

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  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. chip — for betting
  2. hand — help
  3. track — a song
  4. pit — in a race
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. suit — to fit
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. track — to keep track
  12. deal — to handle
  13. suit — clothes
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pit — a hole
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — in cards
  21. saw — the tool
  22. track — a path
  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