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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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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: track · lie · present · plane · season · craft · current · coach

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. track — a song
  3. craft — boats
  4. lie — to recline
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. track — a path
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. track — to keep track
  10. current — of water
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. season — of the year
  16. current — electric
  17. season — in sport
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. present — there
  21. present — a gift
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. current — happening now
  24. plane — in geometry

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