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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 120 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: mouse · can · deal · rule · wound · pop · bore · mug

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — to visit
  5. mug — a cup
  6. can — a tin
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. bore — to tire
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wound — an injury
  11. can — a tin
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bore — to drill
  16. mug — a face
  17. rule — government
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wound — an injury
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pop — music
  22. deal — to handle
  23. can — to be able to
  24. deal — a big deal

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