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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.

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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 · fall · suit · row · hand · bass · calf · press

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. press — a publisher
  3. fall — the season
  4. suit — in cards
  5. row — to paddle
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. hand — help
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. row — a line
  12. press — newspapers
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fall — to drop
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. fall — to drop
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. press — to push
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bass — the fish
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. hand — in cards

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