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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: chest · safe · face · stand · land · plane · jam · press

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. chest — a box
  8. face — to point toward
  9. land — a country
  10. press — a publisher
  11. land — ground
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. face — part of the head
  14. press — to push
  15. plane — a tool
  16. chest — of your body
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. face — to confront
  20. land — to come down
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. press — newspapers

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