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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
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: pass · bore · mine · rash · cabinet · mug · bear · spell

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. spell — magic
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. mug — a cup
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mug — to rob
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. mug — a face
  15. rash — a series
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. spell — letters
  20. pass — a permit
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bore — to drill

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