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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: swing · pitcher · vault · bat · degree · rule · mouse · dip

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. vault — a safe
  5. degree — from a university
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. swing — in golf
  8. rule — a law
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. degree — an amount
  12. swing — to play on
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bat — the animal
  15. rule — government
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — to sink
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. swing — music
  21. degree — temperature
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bat — for baseball

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