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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: fork · wind · bay · file · bank · mouse · fan · arm

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. file — a tool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bank — of a river
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. wind — moving air
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. fork — in a road
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mouse — the animal

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