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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: rush · suit · chip · court · deal · fine · board · scale

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. chip — to eat
  3. board — a committee
  4. scale — size or range
  5. court — for sport
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rush — hurry
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. chip — for betting
  10. court — of a king
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. board — to get on
  14. suit — in cards
  15. scale — in music
  16. deal — to handle
  17. fine — high quality
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fine — all right
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. court — of law
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fine — a penalty

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