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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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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: stand · charge · squash · board · vault · bore · stem · race

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. squash — the sport
  4. race — the arms race
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stand — to bear
  7. race — a contest
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. board — a committee
  15. race — humankind
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. squash — to crush
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — a safe
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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