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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 116 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
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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: fork · board · bowl · tear · rush · charge · nail · lean

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. board — a committee
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. fork — in a road
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. tear — from crying
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. lean — thin
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lean — to bend
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. tear — from crying
  20. charge — a price
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. board — to get on
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — in control

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