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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.

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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 · court · board · sharp · suit · kick · deal · safe

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. kick — in football
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. hand — help
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. court — for sport
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. court — of a king
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. deal — to handle
  15. sharp — clever
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. court — of law
  20. board — to get on
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. board — a committee
  24. suit — clothes

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