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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · pop · cap · rush · calf · rule · tube · bulb

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rule — a law
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — music
  5. bass — low music
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rush — hurry
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. pop — to visit
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rule — government
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — of ice
  21. tube — a container
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. tube — the underground
  24. cap — a lid

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