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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 120 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: racket · board · charge · rule · vault · cap

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. cap — a lid
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. cap — of ice
  8. charge — in control
  9. vault — a safe
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rule — a law
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — government
  15. cap — a hat
  16. charge — a price
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. vault — an arched ceiling

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