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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: craft · vault · mate · sharp · bear · rush · board · club

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. club — a group
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bear — the animal
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. club — for golf
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. club — for dancing
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rush — hurry
  14. board — a committee
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bear — the animal
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mate — a friend
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. craft — boats

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