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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pop · plane · mark · track · jam · squash · spring · net

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. mark — a grade
  3. net — for catching
  4. track — to keep track
  5. plane — a tool
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. net — in sport
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. squash — the sport
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. track — a song
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. pop — music
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. spring — a coil
  18. mark — a trace
  19. spring — the season
  20. pop — soda
  21. track — a path
  22. spring — of water
  23. squash — to crush
  24. pop — to visit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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