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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: lie · jam · tube · lean · game · plane · press · kid

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lean — thin
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. press — newspapers
  9. tube — a container
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lie — to recline
  12. plane — a tool
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. kid — child
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. game — wild animals
  20. tube — the underground
  21. kid — to tease
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. jam — a tight spot

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