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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: pound · calf · prune · wound · bank · shower · safe · board

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. wound — an injury
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. board — a committee
  6. bank — of a river
  7. prune — to trim
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. board — to get on
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. wound — an injury
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. shower — rain
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bank — for money
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. calf — a young animal
  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