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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: hide · deal · racket · craft · board · ruler · hand · wound

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. deal — to handle
  6. board — to get on
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. craft — a skill
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. wound — an injury
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. craft — boats
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wound — an injury
  21. hand — help
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. board — a committee
  24. racket — a loud noise

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