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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · bark · branch · kid · fan · ruler · file · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bark — to shout
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. kid — to tease
  7. field — a subject
  8. kid — child
  9. file — a document
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. file — a line of people
  14. net — in sport
  15. field — for sport
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. field — farmland
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. branch — a division
  23. net — after costs
  24. file — a tool

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