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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: bass · bulb · dip · mate · mug · rock · fall · suit

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bass — the fish
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mate — to breed
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. mate — a friend
  9. fall — the season
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. mug — a face
  13. bass — low music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fall — to drop
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mate — a partner
  19. rock — music
  20. suit — to fit
  21. mug — a cup
  22. fall — to drop
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bulb — for light

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