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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 120 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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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 · present · rock · lie · pit · track · fork · bay

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. track — a song
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. track — a path
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. lie — to recline
  8. present — the time now
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. track — to keep track
  19. rock — music
  20. pit — a hole
  21. present — a gift
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. present — there
  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