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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.

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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: wake · bulb · squash · lie · track · racket · last · plane

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. squash — the sport
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. track — a song
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bulb — for light
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. track — a path
  19. last — to go on
  20. last — final
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. last — finally
  23. track — to keep track
  24. squash — to crush

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