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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pass — a permit
  3. swing — music
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. swing — to play on
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fall — to drop
  17. swing — in golf
  18. fall — the season
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — government

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