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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rule · spring · bass · trunk · swing · bay · pitch · bulb

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. swing — to play on
  6. spring — of water
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bass — low music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bulb — for light
  13. spring — the season
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. rule — government
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. spring — a coil
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bass — the fish
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. swing — music

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