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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: mate · chair · vault · fine · swing · rush · saw · cap

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chair — a leader
  4. cap — a hat
  5. swing — in golf
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. saw — the tool
  8. swing — music
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. swing — to play on
  11. mate — to breed
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. mate — a friend
  14. vault — a safe
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. rush — hurry
  18. fine — all right
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a lid
  21. mate — a partner
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. fine — high quality
  24. saw — the tool

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