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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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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 · lie · tube · drill · perch · rush · wound · bulb

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. drill — a practice
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rush — hurry
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — army training
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — a container
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. perch — the fish
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. dip — to sink

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