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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · row · face · ruler · dip · racket · plane · spell

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. track — a song
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. row — to paddle
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. track — to keep track
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. face — part of the head
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. spell — a short time
  15. face — to point toward
  16. dip — to sink
  17. spell — letters
  18. row — a line
  19. face — to confront
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. spell — magic

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