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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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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: swing · roll · lash · stand · object · trunk · bound · net

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. object — a thing
  7. swing — music
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. roll — a list
  11. bound — obliged
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. object — an aim
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bound — certain
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. stand — to bear
  18. object — to protest
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — for catching
  21. roll — a cake
  22. net — after costs
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. swing — in golf

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