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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: row · dip · mouse · bulb · rule · tube · sharp · rush

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. rule — government
  4. bulb — for light
  5. sharp — clever
  6. row — a line
  7. tube — the underground
  8. row — to paddle
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bulb — for light
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. rush — hurry
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. rule — a law
  20. tube — a container
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rush — a thrill

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