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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: bore · prune · fork · firm · fine · wake · bulb · hide

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fine — all right
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bore — to tire
  7. firm — a company
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. fork — in a road
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. wake — a trail
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. firm — decided
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bore — to drill
  19. fine — high quality
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. hide — to keep secret

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