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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: staff · rule · hide · fine · file · dip · bulb · rush

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rule — a law
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. staff — employees
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fine — high quality
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a document
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rule — government
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. file — a tool
  21. staff — employees
  22. bulb — for light
  23. staff — a stick
  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