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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: bank · craft · board · branch · wind · bark · fan · patient

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  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. board — to get on
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. wind — moving air
  7. craft — a skill
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. wind — moving air
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bank — of a river
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. craft — boats
  19. board — a committee
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bark — to shout
  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