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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: rest · plane · mug · track · lie · rush · trunk · present

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rest — a break
  7. present — a gift
  8. lie — to recline
  9. present — there
  10. present — the time now
  11. mug — to rob
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. track — a path
  15. rush — hurry
  16. track — a song
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. plane — a tool
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. mug — a face
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. trunk — of a car

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