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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: jam · swing · bay · nail · chip · plane · spring · season

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. spring — of water
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. spring — a coil
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. swing — in golf
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. plane — a tool
  16. season — in sport
  17. spring — the season
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. season — of the year
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — to play on

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