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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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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: snap · track · pass · date · jam · plane · race · band

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. race — a contest
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. track — a song
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a music group
  16. track — a path
  17. race — humankind
  18. snap — to click
  19. plane — a tool
  20. track — to keep track
  21. race — the arms race
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. pass — a permit

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