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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.

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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: track · drill · deal · squash · bank · root · snap · nail

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. root — the cause
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. drill — army training
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bank — of a river
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. snap — to click
  13. track — a song
  14. deal — to handle
  15. root — of a word
  16. track — a path
  17. squash — to crush
  18. track — to keep track
  19. drill — a practice
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. root — of a plant
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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