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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: current · press · last · vault · spring · can · cabinet · lash

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. press — to push
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. current — happening now
  6. last — finally
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. last — final
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. spring — a coil
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. can — a tin
  14. press — newspapers
  15. current — of water
  16. last — to go on
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. press — a publisher
  19. spring — the season
  20. can — to be able to
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. vault — a safe
  23. can — a tin
  24. spring — of water

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