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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 · shower · deal · date · stock · board · safe · ruler

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. hand — in cards
  3. shower — to wash
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. shower — rain
  9. board — to get on
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. date — the fruit
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. board — a committee
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. stock — goods
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. hand — help
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. deal — to handle
  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