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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: suit · rush · mate · spring · pop · trunk · lash · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mate — a partner
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — of water
  5. rush — hurry
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pop — soda
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mate — a friend
  12. pop — to visit
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. firm — decided
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. firm — steady
  19. suit — clothes
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pop — music
  22. spring — a coil
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mate — to breed

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