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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 120 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: rock · cue · track · season · plane · fan

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. track — a song
  4. cue — a hint
  5. season — of the year
  6. rock — music
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rock — a stone
  9. cue — a signal
  10. track — a path
  11. plane — a tool
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. season — in sport
  18. track — to keep track

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