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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: track · net · rush · root · swing · plane · pop · snap

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pop — to visit
  6. net — in sport
  7. track — a song
  8. pop — music
  9. root — of a plant
  10. swing — music
  11. root — of a word
  12. swing — in golf
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — for catching
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rush — hurry
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. swing — to play on
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. root — the cause
  21. pop — soda
  22. track — a path
  23. snap — to click
  24. plane — a tool

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