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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.

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: mug · fork · fan · date · bark · capital · roll · bank

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mug — a cup
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. roll — a list
  9. bark — to shout
  10. capital — money
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. mug — a face
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. mug — to rob
  17. capital — a city
  18. date — the fruit
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. roll — a cake

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