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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 116 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: spring · wound · suit · prune · bowl · bass · trunk · lash

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. wound — an injury
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bass — the fish
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. spring — a coil
  15. prune — to trim
  16. spring — of water
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. spring — the season
  22. bass — low music
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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