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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.

Make a worksheet

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: nail · bear · prune · content · net · hide · file · leaves

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. net — after costs
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. file — a line of people
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. prune — to trim
  10. content — the amount
  11. net — for catching
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. file — a document
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. net — in sport
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. content — happy
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. prune — to trim
  24. leaves — of a tree

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