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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
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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: vault · cabinet · season · lean · current · tear · tube · pass

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. season — in sport
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. tear — to rip
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — a container
  12. season — of the year
  13. tear — from crying
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — a safe
  16. current — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. tear — from crying
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. lean — thin
  22. pass — a permit
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. lean — to bend

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