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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: leaves · sharp · staff · lean · rest · racket · safe · bat

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. staff — employees
  4. rest — a break
  5. lean — to bend
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. staff — employees
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bat — the animal
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. sharp — clever
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. staff — a stick
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. racket — for tennis

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