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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: season · perch · present · land · squash · club · stick · stand

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. season — of the year
  4. present — a gift
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. squash — the sport
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — in sport
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. club — a group
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. squash — to crush
  14. land — ground
  15. club — for golf
  16. present — the time now
  17. club — for dancing
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stand — to bear
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. present — there
  24. land — to come down

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