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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: drill · suit · chip · bulb · tube · dip · rest · pop

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. rest — what's left
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — a break
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — army training
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. suit — clothes
  13. tube — a container
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. chip — to eat
  16. suit — in cards
  17. dip — to sink
  18. drill — the tool
  19. chip — for betting
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rest — what's left

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