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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.

Make a worksheet

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: tube · vault · lean · object · lie · cabinet · can · straw

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. tube — the underground
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. can — a tin
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. object — a thing
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lean — to bend
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. can — a tin
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. lie — to recline
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. lean — thin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. object — to protest
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. tube — a container
  24. lean — to rest against

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