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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: cue · swing · mug · stand · spell · pop · bank · plane

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. spell — letters
  3. pop — to visit
  4. plane — a tool
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mug — a cup
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. cue — a hint
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mug — a face
  11. spell — magic
  12. bank — for money
  13. stand — to bear
  14. spell — a short time
  15. pop — soda
  16. swing — music
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. swing — to play on
  22. mug — to rob
  23. cue — a signal
  24. swing — in golf

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