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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 120 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: deal · hand · stock · squash · rock · nail · pop · safe

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rock — a stone
  4. hand — in cards
  5. stock — shares
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. squash — the sport
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. pop — music
  17. deal — to handle
  18. rock — music
  19. pop — to visit
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. squash — to crush
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pop — soda

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