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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: file · rush · wind · staff · hide · trunk · prune · nail

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. staff — a stick
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. file — a tool
  7. staff — employees
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wind — moving air
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rush — hurry
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. prune — to trim
  14. file — a document
  15. prune — to trim
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. staff — employees
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. file — a line of people
  22. wind — moving air
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rush — to hurry

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