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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: leaves · racket · pass · net · wake · current · wax · content

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. net — in sport
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. net — for catching
  7. current — of water
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pass — a permit
  10. content — the amount
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. content — happy
  14. wake — a trail
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. current — happening now
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. current — electric
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wax — to grow

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