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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: plane · land · lie · squash · last · racket · staff · mark

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  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. plane — an aircraft
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. staff — a stick
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. mark — a grade
  7. last — finally
  8. mark — a trace
  9. last — final
  10. staff — employees
  11. plane — a tool
  12. land — to come down
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the sport
  15. staff — employees
  16. last — to go on
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. land — ground
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. land — a country
  23. racket — for tennis
  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