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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: ground · plane · bowl · lie · key · rush · band · field

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. band — a music group
  3. ground — the earth
  4. plane — a tool
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. field — for sport
  8. ground — crushed
  9. field — a subject
  10. key — in music
  11. rush — hurry
  12. band — a ring
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. field — farmland
  19. ground — a position
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rush — to hurry

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