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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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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: fork · root · plane · stick · suit · band · lie · racket

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fork — in a road
  4. band — a music group
  5. suit — in cards
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — of a word
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. band — a ring
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. root — the cause
  18. lie — to recline
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. fork — to eat with

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