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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: bulb · plane · dip · cabinet · can · rule · fall · bass

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bass — low music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. can — a tin
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bass — the fish
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. dip — to sink
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — a law

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