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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pass · degree · net · foot · mate · wound · wake · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. net — for catching
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. degree — an amount
  6. wound — an injury
  7. net — after costs
  8. mate — to breed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. net — in sport
  15. degree — temperature
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. degree — from a university
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — a measure
  22. wound — an injury
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. foot — the bottom

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