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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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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: snap · bat · suit · rule · firm · vault

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bat — the animal
  3. snap — to click
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rule — government
  6. firm — steady
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. firm — a company
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. firm — decided
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. suit — in cards

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