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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: tube · press · content · plane · sharp · jam · court · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. press — a publisher
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — clever
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. tube — a container
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. court — of a king
  13. plane — a tool
  14. press — to push
  15. tube — the underground
  16. court — of law
  17. stand — to bear
  18. court — for sport
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. content — happy
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. press — newspapers
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. content — the amount

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