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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: mate · fork · hand · stand · net · pass · firm · foot

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  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. net — in sport
  2. net — after costs
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. firm — steady
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. net — for catching
  8. mate — a friend
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pass — a permit
  14. foot — a measure
  15. mate — a partner
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. firm — decided
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. firm — a company
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mate — to breed
  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