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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 120 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: drill · stick · racket · firm · stand · season · land · perch

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. land — to come down
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. firm — decided
  5. season — of the year
  6. perch — the fish
  7. firm — a company
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. drill — army training
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. season — in sport
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. stand — to bear
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. land — ground
  23. land — a country
  24. firm — steady

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