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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.

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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 · fan · board · field · fine · craft · object · bark

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. craft — boats
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. field — farmland
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. field — for sport
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. object — to protest
  12. bank — for money
  13. field — a subject
  14. object — a thing
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bank — for money
  18. fine — high quality
  19. craft — a skill
  20. board — a committee
  21. object — an aim
  22. board — to get on
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fine — all right

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