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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: dip · pop · hide · saw · mark · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. mark — a trace
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mark — a grade
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pop — music
  11. saw — the tool
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bulb — for light
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — to visit
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. mark — to pay attention

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