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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 116 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 · club · fork · pop · track · mark · current

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pop — to visit
  5. cue — a hint
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pop — music
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. club — for golf
  10. cue — a signal
  11. fork — in a road
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. cue — for pool
  15. current — of water
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. current — happening now
  18. pop — soda
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. current — electric
  22. track — a song
  23. track — to keep track
  24. club — a group

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