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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: vault · plane · fan · fall · rule · land · kid · pass

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. land — a country
  3. fall — the season
  4. land — to come down
  5. land — ground
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kid — child
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fall — to drop
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rule — government
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rule — a law
  24. vault — a safe

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