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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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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 · bank · can · prune · trunk · bore · hand · jam

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bank — for money
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. can — a tin
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. prune — to trim
  11. hand — help
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bore — to drill
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. can — a tin
  22. pound — a weight
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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