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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: hand · deal · snap · board · toast · key · fine · net

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. board — a committee
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. hand — in cards
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — all right
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. toast — bread
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. net — for catching
  17. fine — high quality
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — in sport
  23. key — for a lock
  24. toast — the most admired

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