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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 120 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: staff · chip · perch · leaves · season · cell · bear · safe

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cell — a phone
  4. staff — employees
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. perch — the fish
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. season — of the year
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. staff — employees
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. cell — in biology
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. season — in sport
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. staff — a stick
  22. chip — to eat
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chip — for betting

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