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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: plane · cue · spring · jam · snap · track · bass · swing

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. spring — a coil
  4. cue — a signal
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. track — a path
  8. bass — low music
  9. track — to keep track
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. snap — to click
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. track — a song
  16. swing — to play on
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. swing — in golf
  19. spring — of water
  20. spring — the season
  21. cue — for pool
  22. plane — a tool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. jam — in traffic

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