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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: pound · fan · bark · patient · object · branch · lean · file

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. file — a document
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. object — an aim
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. branch — a division
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bark — to shout
  13. lean — thin
  14. pound — a weight
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. object — to protest
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. object — a thing
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. fan — a supporter
  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