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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 116 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: stand · straw · mark · press · bass · face · root · patient

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. root — the cause
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bass — the fish
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. root — of a word
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. root — of a plant
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mark — a grade
  15. face — to confront
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. mark — a trace
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — to push
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bass — low music
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. patient — a sick person

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