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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: rock · drill · charge · vault · rush · can · board · hand

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hand — help
  3. board — a committee
  4. drill — the tool
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. charge — a price
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. drill — a practice
  11. charge — electricity
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rock — a stone
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. drill — army training
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. vault — a safe
  19. rush — hurry
  20. hand — in cards
  21. board — to get on
  22. charge — in control
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. rock — music

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