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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.

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 · last · wake · sharp · racket · deal · trunk · chair

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. sharp — clever
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. last — final
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — finally
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. chair — a leader
  23. wake — a trail
  24. racket — a loud noise

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