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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: kick · rash · bulb · lie · pop · mate · rule · perch

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. rash — a series
  3. pop — music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rule — a law
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rule — government
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rash — hasty
  15. mate — to breed
  16. pop — soda
  17. bulb — for light
  18. perch — the fish
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bulb — of a plant

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