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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: sharp · fall · content · tube · fan · lie · press · jam

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. sharp — clever
  7. content — the amount
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. content — happy
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. press — a publisher
  13. lie — to recline
  14. fall — the season
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. tube — a container
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. fan — to cool the air

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