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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
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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: stand · press · calf · wake · face · bass · object · rule

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rule — government
  6. press — to push
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bass — low music
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. face — to confront
  12. object — an aim
  13. press — a publisher
  14. rule — a law
  15. stand — to bear
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. object — to protest
  19. wake — a trail
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bass — the fish
  22. press — newspapers
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. object — a thing

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