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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stand · face · mark · lie · root · land · tube · deal

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mark — a trace
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. tube — the underground
  7. face — part of the head
  8. stand — to bear
  9. land — to come down
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. face — to point toward
  15. deal — to handle
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a word
  18. land — a country
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. tube — a container
  21. land — ground
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. face — to confront
  24. root — of a plant

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