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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 · bark · file · wave · stand · stick · foot · drill

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. file — a tool
  5. foot — a measure
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. drill — the tool
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bark — to shout
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. file — a line of people
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. drill — army training
  24. stand — for spectators

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