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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: kid · board · bulb · charge · key · rush · craft · straw

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. key — for a lock
  3. charge — a price
  4. board — to get on
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. charge — in control
  8. rush — hurry
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. board — a committee
  11. key — the most important part
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. kid — child
  14. bulb — for light
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. craft — boats
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. key — in music
  23. charge — electricity
  24. craft — a skill

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