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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wave · perch · hide · season · safe · stock · pitch · fan

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. stock — shares
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stock — goods
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. season — in sport
  12. perch — the fish
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. season — of the year
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. safe — out of danger

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