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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: stand · perch · field · safe · plane · net · racket · content

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. net — after costs
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — for sport
  7. perch — the fish
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. field — farmland
  12. content — the amount
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. net — in sport
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. plane — a tool
  20. content — happy
  21. net — for catching
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. racket — a loud noise

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