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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: fan · branch · rush · pit · racket · fork · safe · file

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. rush — hurry
  9. file — a line of people
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pit — a hole
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. fork — in a road
  17. branch — a division
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. rush — to hurry

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