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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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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: fan · file · branch · last · lash · foot · suit · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. last — final
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. file — a document
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. suit — to fit
  14. last — to go on
  15. branch — a division
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. file — a line of people
  18. foot — a measure
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. file — a tool
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. last — finally
  24. branch — of a bank

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