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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: sharp · plane · safe · field · coach · stand · net · season

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. net — in sport
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. sharp — clever
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stand — to bear
  8. plane — a tool
  9. field — farmland
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — of the year
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. net — after costs
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. field — a subject
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. net — for catching
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. season — in sport

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