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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: branch · rush · plane · fan · cue · jam · date · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pop — to visit
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. date — the fruit
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. rush — hurry
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. cue — a signal
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pop — soda
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. plane — a tool
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. plane — in geometry

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