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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 116 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: pop · mouse · bat · can · deal · vault · suit · rule

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pop — music
  3. suit — in cards
  4. deal — to handle
  5. rule — government
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rule — a law
  9. suit — clothes
  10. can — a tin
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pop — soda
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. can — a tin

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