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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
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: field · season · stick · file · fan · bank · rest · bark

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bank — of a river
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. rest — a break
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. file — a tool
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. field — farmland
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. field — a subject
  17. season — in sport
  18. bark — to shout
  19. field — for sport
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bank — for money
  22. file — a document
  23. bank — for money
  24. season — of the year

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