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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: file · snap · root · land · lie · bank · mark · deal

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. root — of a plant
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to click
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bank — for money
  7. land — a country
  8. file — a document
  9. root — of a word
  10. bank — for money
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. deal — to handle
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. land — ground
  19. bank — of a river
  20. root — the cause
  21. lie — to recline
  22. land — to come down
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. mark — a grade

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