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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: bulb · trunk · kick · stock · mine · fan · lash · safe

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. kick — in football
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. stock — goods
  13. mine — for digging
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stock — shares
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fan — a supporter

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