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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 · stock · foot · safe · can · perch · field · bowl

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. field — farmland
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. field — a subject
  8. can — a tin
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. foot — a measure
  15. can — a tin
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stock — shares
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stock — goods
  22. perch — the fish
  23. field — for sport
  24. stand — on your feet

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