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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: file · board · net · wake · temple · fan · bank · nail

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. file — a line of people
  4. wake — a trail
  5. file — a tool
  6. bank — for money
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. board — to get on
  9. file — a document
  10. board — a committee
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bank — for money
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. net — after costs
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — in sport
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bank — of a river

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