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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 · ball · lash · tube · rush · trunk · object · jam

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. tube — a container
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. ball — a dance
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. ball — a great time
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bulb — for light
  20. object — an aim
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. bulb — for light
  23. tube — the underground
  24. lash — to lash out

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