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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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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: chair · swing · court · vault · rule · dip · straw · press

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. court — of a king
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to sink
  10. press — a publisher
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. press — to push
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — a law
  15. swing — music
  16. court — of law
  17. swing — to play on
  18. court — for sport
  19. press — newspapers
  20. swing — in golf
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. vault — a safe
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. chair — a leader

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