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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.

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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: kid · board · deal · field · lash · bulb · vault · rush

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. kid — child
  3. board — a committee
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. field — farmland
  8. field — a subject
  9. bulb — for light
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bulb — for light
  13. deal — to handle
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. field — for sport
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. board — to get on

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