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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: vault · fan · swing · chair · court · ruler · pit · bound

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. swing — in golf
  3. vault — a safe
  4. court — of law
  5. bound — certain
  6. court — of a king
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chair — a leader
  13. swing — to play on
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bound — tied together
  17. swing — music
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. court — for sport
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bound — obliged
  24. chair — to sit on

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