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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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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 · row · pound · hide · nail · arm · ground · tube

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. row — a line
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. ground — crushed
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. tube — a container
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. row — to paddle
  17. ground — a position
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ground — the earth
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pound — a weight

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