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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.

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: cabinet · march · perch · face · safe · swing · stock · field

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. face — to point toward
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. march — the month
  9. face — part of the head
  10. march — music
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — shares
  13. swing — in golf
  14. face — to confront
  15. field — a subject
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. perch — the fish
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. swing — music
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. march — the month
  22. field — for sport
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. field — farmland

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