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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 116 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: ground · dip · snap · scale · stand · root · clip · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. root — the cause
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. snap — to click
  6. ground — the earth
  7. root — of a plant
  8. clip — a video
  9. scale — size or range
  10. dip — to sink
  11. clip — to cut
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. ground — crushed
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ground — a position
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. scale — in music
  19. stand — to bear
  20. root — of a word
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. clip — for paper

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