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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: snap · press · root · net · hand · bear · mark · file

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bear — the animal
  3. hand — help
  4. file — a tool
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. file — a document
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. press — newspapers
  15. root — the cause
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — after costs
  18. press — a publisher
  19. net — for catching
  20. file — a line of people
  21. press — to push
  22. mark — a trace
  23. snap — to click
  24. hand — part of the body

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