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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: track · stand · bear · row · squash · jam · plane · pop

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. track — to keep track
  3. squash — to crush
  4. plane — a tool
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pop — music
  8. row — a line
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bear — the animal
  11. track — a path
  12. pop — soda
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. row — to paddle
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. track — a song
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. squash — the sport
  23. pop — to visit
  24. plane — an aircraft

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