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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: charge · wound · nail · rush · board · kid · fork · bear

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. charge — electricity
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. kid — to tease
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bear — the animal
  9. kid — child
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bear — the animal
  13. charge — a price
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rush — hurry
  17. board — a committee
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. wound — an injury
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. board — to get on
  22. charge — in control
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. fork — in a road

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