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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 116 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
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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: lie · stick · deal · trunk · track · plane · ground · field

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. lie — to recline
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. field — a subject
  12. track — to keep track
  13. ground — crushed
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. ground — the earth
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. field — for sport
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. field — farmland
  22. plane — a tool
  23. track — a song
  24. ground — a position

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