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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: bear · pop · shower · pass · bore · firm · cabinet · bat

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pop — to visit
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bore — to tire
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. firm — steady
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. pop — music
  12. shower — rain
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. firm — a company
  15. pop — soda
  16. bore — to drill
  17. firm — decided
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pass — to spend time

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