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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. board — to get on
  3. fine — all right
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. branch — a division
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a document
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. file — a tool
  11. field — a subject
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. suit — to fit
  18. board — a committee
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. suit — clothes
  21. fine — high quality
  22. field — for sport
  23. suit — in cards
  24. field — farmland

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