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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: lash · spring · key · cabinet · bay · prune · perch · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. spring — the season
  3. band — a music group
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. band — a ring
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. key — for a lock
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. key — in music
  12. perch — the fish
  13. spring — a coil
  14. key — the most important part
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. spring — of water
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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