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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 124 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: ruler · lean · vault · plane · mug · stand · fall · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. chip — to eat
  5. fall — to drop
  6. lean — thin
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. plane — a tool
  11. mug — to rob
  12. fall — the season
  13. stand — to bear
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. fall — to drop
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. mug — a face
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. mug — a cup

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