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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.

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: cabinet · suit · tube · pass · rash · wind · bark · bore

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bore — to drill
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. wind — moving air
  13. tube — a container
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bark — to shout
  24. tube — the underground

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