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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: fine · bore · file · rush · hide · face · club · prune

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. club — a group
  10. bore — to tire
  11. file — a line of people
  12. file — a document
  13. fine — high quality
  14. face — part of the head
  15. prune — to trim
  16. club — for golf
  17. rush — hurry
  18. club — for dancing
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. face — to confront
  22. file — a tool
  23. face — to point toward
  24. hide — animal skin

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