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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: prune · key · bear · pound · safe · bore · content · bank

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bank — for money
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. content — the amount
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bore — to drill
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bank — of a river
  16. key — in music
  17. content — happy
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bear — the animal
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bank — for money
  22. pound — a weight
  23. key — for a lock
  24. prune — to trim

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