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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: stand · perch · season · chest · lean · toast · bulb · field

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. lean — thin
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. season — in sport
  6. chest — a box
  7. season — of the year
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. chest — of your body
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. lean — to bend
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. chest — of your body
  16. perch — the fish
  17. toast — bread
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. field — farmland
  24. field — a subject

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