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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: plane · swing · vault · mate · cap · bay · chair · rule

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mate — to breed
  3. swing — in golf
  4. cap — of ice
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. cap — a lid
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rule — government
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. chair — a leader
  11. swing — to play on
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. mate — a partner
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. cap — a hat
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rule — a law
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. vault — a safe
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. swing — music

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