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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tube · ruler · swing · bulb · lash · stem · mark · spring

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  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. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. mark — a grade
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. swing — music
  7. bulb — for light
  8. swing — to play on
  9. spring — a coil
  10. tube — a container
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. spring — the season
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. tube — the underground
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mark — a trace
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. spring — of water
  23. mark — to pay attention
  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