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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: cue · rush · lie · root · swing · pop · tube · bulb

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cue — a hint
  3. pop — soda
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. swing — in golf
  7. root — of a word
  8. pop — to visit
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. swing — music
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. root — of a plant
  15. tube — a container
  16. rush — hurry
  17. root — the cause
  18. cue — for pool
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. swing — to play on
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pop — music
  23. cue — a signal
  24. lie — an untruth

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