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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: jam · date · swing · trunk · squash · lash · racket · band

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. swing — to play on
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. swing — music
  6. band — a music group
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. date — the fruit
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. squash — to crush
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. squash — the sport
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. swing — in golf
  24. band — a ring

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