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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 · trunk · bulb · temple · spring · bass · vault · perch

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bass — the fish
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bulb — for light
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. spring — the season
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. spring — of water
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. vault — a safe
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bass — low music

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