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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: content · wake · pound · hand · board · deal · rush · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. wake — a trail
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. chip — for betting
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. content — the amount
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. hand — help
  12. board — a committee
  13. chip — to eat
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. hand — in cards
  16. pound — a weight
  17. board — to get on
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. deal — to handle
  22. content — happy
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. rush — hurry

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