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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 120 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
468
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 · file · fan · coach · mate · fork · net · board

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bank — for money
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. net — for catching
  5. fork — in a road
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mate — a friend
  8. board — a committee
  9. net — after costs
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. file — a tool
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. file — a line of people
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. net — in sport
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bank — of a river
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. board — to get on
  23. bank — for money
  24. file — a document

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