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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: march · pitch · trunk · lie · scale · plane · pop · track

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. march — music
  6. plane — a tool
  7. march — the month
  8. track — to keep track
  9. scale — in music
  10. track — a song
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pop — soda
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. scale — size or range
  20. lie — to recline
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — to visit
  23. track — a path
  24. march — the month

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