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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: mouse · rush · lash · press · trunk · swing · prune · stock

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. prune — to trim
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. press — a publisher
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rush — hurry
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. stock — shares
  12. swing — to play on
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. swing — in golf
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. swing — music
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. press — newspapers
  23. press — to push
  24. stock — goods

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