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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: chip · craft · hand · deal · game · shower · rock · ball

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. ball — a dance
  3. shower — to wash
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. chip — to eat
  7. game — a match
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. rock — music
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. shower — rain
  19. game — wild animals
  20. hand — help
  21. deal — to handle
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. craft — boats
  24. ball — a great time

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