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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: safe · ruler · band · nail · staff · kick · stock · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. staff — employees
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. stock — shares
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. kick — in football
  8. stock — goods
  9. staff — employees
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. band — a music group
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. hand — help
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. staff — a stick

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