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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: bass · rush · spring · cue · fine · wake · plane · leaves

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. fine — high quality
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. plane — a tool
  7. spring — a coil
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. cue — for pool
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. cue — a hint
  16. rush — hurry
  17. wake — a trail
  18. spring — the season
  19. bass — low music
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bass — the fish
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cue — a signal
  24. leaves — to go away

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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