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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: lash · chest · bulb · bass · rock · mark · pit · prune

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. prune — to trim
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. chest — of your body
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bass — low music
  11. chest — a box
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mark — a trace
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rock — music
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bulb — for light

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