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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: bass · can · lie · rule · bulb · spring · dip · firm

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rule — government
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. rule — a law
  11. spring — a coil
  12. firm — steady
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bass — low music
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bass — the fish
  19. firm — a company
  20. can — to be able to
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. spring — the season
  23. spring — of water
  24. firm — decided

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