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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: tube · dip · perch · rule · trunk · bulb · sharp · lean

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  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. sharp — exactly
  2. lean — to bend
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bulb — for light
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. sharp — clever
  18. tube — a container
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lean — thin
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. perch — the fish
  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