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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: club · lie · lean · land · wave · bowl · tube · press

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. club — for dancing
  3. club — a group
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. land — ground
  7. press — to push
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. tube — the underground
  11. press — a publisher
  12. lean — to bend
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. club — for golf
  15. tube — a container
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. land — a country
  18. press — newspapers
  19. land — to come down
  20. lean — thin
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. lie — an untruth

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