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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
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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: hide · chair · board · trunk · game · season · safe · leaves

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. game — wild animals
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. season — in sport
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. board — a committee
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. chair — a leader
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. game — a match
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. board — to get on
  23. season — of the year
  24. chair — to sit on

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