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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: perch · bulb · trunk · game · lash · bass · mark · mine

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. perch — the fish
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mark — a trace
  9. game — a match
  10. mine — for digging
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bulb — for light
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bulb — for light
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bass — low music
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bass — the instrument

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