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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: can · pound · bank · prune · nail · pitcher · fan · fork

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. can — a tin
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bank — for money
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. fork — in a road
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bank — of a river
  24. fork — to eat with

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