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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 · roll · board · vault · kid · racket · bear · craft

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. board — a committee
  3. charge — a price
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. roll — a list
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — child
  11. board — to get on
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bear — the animal
  15. craft — boats
  16. vault — a safe
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. roll — a cake
  22. charge — in control
  23. bear — the animal
  24. charge — electricity

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