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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: lie · date · rock · plane · mug · track · kid · fall

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. track — a song
  5. mug — a face
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. track — to keep track
  9. mug — to rob
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rock — music
  14. kid — to tease
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. kid — child
  18. track — a path
  19. rock — a stone
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. mug — a cup
  22. fall — to drop
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. lie — an untruth

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