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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: ball · bank · court · hand · press · date · present · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. press — newspapers
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bank — for money
  8. court — of law
  9. bass — low music
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. present — there
  12. present — the time now
  13. court — for sport
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. ball — a great time
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. ball — a dance
  19. present — a gift
  20. press — to push
  21. hand — help
  22. court — of a king
  23. hand — in cards
  24. date — the fruit

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