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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 116 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: pitcher · content · board · cabinet · stand · vault · tube · lash

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. tube — a container
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. content — happy
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. content — the amount
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. tube — the underground
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. content — videos and posts

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