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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: vault · chip · perch · plane · pop · lie · wax · rule

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. pop — to visit
  6. chip — to eat
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. rule — a law
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rule — government
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. chip — for betting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wax — to grow
  19. perch — the fish
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. vault — a safe
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pop — soda
  24. lie — an untruth

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