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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.

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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: row · cell · racket · staff · perch · safe · bound · season

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. staff — employees
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. row — a line
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. cell — a phone
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. season — of the year
  11. season — in sport
  12. perch — the fish
  13. cell — in biology
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. staff — employees
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — tied together
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. row — to paddle
  23. staff — a stick
  24. safe — out of danger

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