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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: cabinet · mate · spring · club · current · rest · vault · lean

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. spring — of water
  3. lean — thin
  4. mate — a friend
  5. current — electric
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. spring — a coil
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rest — what's left
  11. club — a group
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. club — for golf
  15. current — of water
  16. vault — a safe
  17. mate — a partner
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. current — happening now
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. spring — the season
  23. lean — to bend
  24. club — for dancing

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