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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: plane · snap · object · club · pop · land · date · cue

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. club — for dancing
  3. pop — soda
  4. date — the fruit
  5. club — a group
  6. object — a thing
  7. pop — music
  8. land — ground
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — a country
  11. pop — to visit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. cue — a hint
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. object — to protest
  16. cue — a signal
  17. club — for golf
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to click
  20. cue — for pool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. object — an aim
  23. plane — a tool
  24. date — on the calendar

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