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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: bass · ball · wake · present · court · press · fall · deal

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — to drop
  7. court — of a king
  8. ball — a dance
  9. court — of law
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. press — to push
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. present — the time now
  16. court — for sport
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — there
  19. press — a publisher
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. deal — to handle
  22. wake — a trail
  23. fall — the season
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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