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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.

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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: band · lean · bulb · fine · key · trunk · lash · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. fine — high quality
  6. lean — thin
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. band — a ring
  10. lean — to bend
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bound — obliged
  13. key — the most important part
  14. band — a music group
  15. fine — all right
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bound — tied together
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bulb — for light
  22. key — in music
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. fine — a penalty

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