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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: swing · bass · stand · bulb · trunk · fine · fall · lash

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — to play on
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bass — the fish
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bass — low music
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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