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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 116 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
468
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 · ball · kid · fan · safe · coach · swing · stock

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. swing — music
  8. ball — a dance
  9. swing — to play on
  10. ball — a great time
  11. stock — goods
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. kid — child
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. kid — to tease
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. swing — in golf
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stock — shares

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