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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 120 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: mine · scale · bulb · swing · stand · trunk · plane · ball

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. mine — for digging
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bulb — for light
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. swing — in golf
  7. plane — a tool
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. scale — in music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bulb — for light
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. ball — a dance
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. ball — a great time
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. trunk — of a car

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