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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · chest · spring · trunk · lash · safe · swing · suit

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  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. chest — of your body
  2. suit — to fit
  3. chest — a box
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. swing — music
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — the season
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. swing — to play on
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. spring — a coil
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — magic
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spell — a short time
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. chest — of your body
  23. lash — to lash out
  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