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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: fan · stand · racket · season · firm · spell · rock · safe

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. season — of the year
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. season — in sport
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stand — to bear
  8. rock — a stone
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. firm — a company
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. firm — decided
  15. spell — magic
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. rock — music
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. firm — steady
  24. spell — letters

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