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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 · safe · leaves · bay · tube · current · cold · lean

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. lean — to bend
  3. cold — an illness
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. current — of water
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. tube — the underground
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. current — happening now
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. tube — a container
  17. current — electric
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — thin
  20. cold — not warm
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. tube — in a tire

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