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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.

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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: prune · suit · bank · drill · pound · wind · rest · tube

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pound — a weight
  3. wind — moving air
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. suit — to fit
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bank — for money
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — army training
  15. prune — to trim
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bank — for money
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rest — what's left

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