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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: bank · mark · land · ground · toast · root · plane · rash

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ground — crushed
  3. root — of a word
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. mark — a trace
  6. land — ground
  7. bank — of a river
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. ground — a position
  10. toast — bread
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. land — a country
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bank — for money
  17. ground — the earth
  18. land — to come down
  19. rash — a series
  20. root — the cause
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. mark — a grade
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — an aircraft

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