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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.

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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: bore · suit · pass · can · mug · spell · vault · shower

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. suit — clothes
  3. can — a tin
  4. spell — a short time
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — to rob
  7. spell — magic
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. can — a tin
  11. bore — to drill
  12. vault — a safe
  13. can — to be able to
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mug — a face
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. shower — to wash
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. shower — rain
  24. suit — to fit

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