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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 · stick · wave · track · firm · spring · lie · sharp

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a song
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. firm — a company
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — the season
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. spring — a coil
  16. track — a path
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. firm — decided
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. firm — steady

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