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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: pound · patient · branch · bore · wound · nail · shower · straw

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. shower — rain
  9. bore — to drill
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pound — a weight
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. shower — to wash
  24. pound — for dogs

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