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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: track · lie · kick · mark · bay · plane · rock · drill

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mark — a grade
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. track — to keep track
  9. kick — in football
  10. lie — to recline
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. track — a song
  16. rock — a stone
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. drill — army training
  22. rock — music
  23. drill — a practice
  24. drill — the tool

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