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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: net · wake · foot · key · can · court · bay · wax

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. court — of law
  4. net — after costs
  5. wake — a trail
  6. can — a tin
  7. net — for catching
  8. foot — a measure
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. key — for a lock
  15. net — in sport
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. can — a tin
  19. court — of a king
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. court — for sport
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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