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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 · foot · wake · net · wave · temple · mate · court

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. foot — a measure
  3. net — in sport
  4. mate — to breed
  5. court — of a king
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. net — after costs
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. court — for sport
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wake — a trail
  16. court — of law
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. mate — a friend
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. net — for catching
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. temple — a place of worship

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