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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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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 · ruler · board · shower · safe · bass · last · straw

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. last — finally
  3. last — final
  4. deal — to handle
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bass — the fish
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. last — to go on
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — to wash
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. board — a committee
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bass — low music

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