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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: lash · mate · firm · trunk · spring · spell · bowl · net

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He took the fish out of 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. trunk — of an elephant
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — a short time
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. spring — the season
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. firm — decided
  8. spell — magic
  9. mate — a partner
  10. net — in sport
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. spring — of water
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — steady
  19. spring — a coil
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. net — after costs
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. net — for catching
  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