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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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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: charge · vault · board · pound · nail · straw · rest · kid

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. charge — a price
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. vault — a safe
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. charge — in control
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. kid — child
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. charge — electricity
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. rest — what's left
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. rest — what's left
  22. kid — to tease
  23. rest — a break
  24. pound — a weight

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