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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: kick · fine · prune · wax · hide · leaves · rush · bore

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rush — hurry
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. kick — in football
  17. prune — to trim
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. fine — high quality
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wax — to grow
  24. leaves — to go away

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