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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 · calf · lie · bark · nail · pound · prune · dip

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bark — to shout
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. lie — to recline
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pound — a weight
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bank — for money
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. prune — to trim
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to sink
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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