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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: prune · suit · present · mouse · mug · file · bore · rush

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. present — there
  3. rush — hurry
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. file — a document
  8. suit — in cards
  9. file — a tool
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. present — the time now
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mug — a face
  16. file — a line of people
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bore — to tire
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. present — a gift
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. suit — clothes

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