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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.

Make a worksheet

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: tube · pit · perch · safe · fall · staff · lean · racket

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. staff — employees
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. fall — the season
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. tube — a container
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fall — to drop
  24. lean — to bend

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