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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 · fine · bound · rush · fork · file · wound · dip

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bound — tied together
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bound — certain
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fine — all right
  10. bound — obliged
  11. rush — hurry
  12. wound — an injury
  13. file — a line of people
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. file — a tool
  18. wound — an injury
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. file — a document
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. fine — high quality

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