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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 · root · file · board · vault · last · craft · charge

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. board — a committee
  5. file — a tool
  6. board — to get on
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. root — the cause
  9. charge — electricity
  10. vault — a safe
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. last — finally
  14. craft — a skill
  15. charge — a price
  16. file — a document
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. file — a line of people
  20. root — of a plant
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. last — to go on
  23. charge — in control
  24. root — of a word

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