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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: nail · bark · bank · coach · net · prune · suit · pound

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. coach — pulled by horses
  2. net — in sport
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bank — for money
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bank — of a river
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bank — for money
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. suit — to fit
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. net — after costs
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. net — for catching
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. prune — to trim
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. suit — in cards
  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