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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 120 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: bass · calf · pop · march · stand · coach · present · press

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. present — the time now
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. march — the month
  5. bass — low music
  6. pop — music
  7. march — music
  8. press — newspapers
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bass — the fish
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. press — a publisher
  19. pop — to visit
  20. march — the month
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pop — soda
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. press — to push

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