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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 · calf · bowl · bore · cap · spell · dip · mug

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. spell — magic
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mug — a cup
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bore — to drill
  10. spell — letters
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pass — a permit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. mug — a face
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. cap — a hat
  23. spell — a short time
  24. cap — a lid

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