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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
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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 · safe · hide · chair · charge · racket · wound · season

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wound — an injury
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. season — in sport
  10. wound — an injury
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. season — of the year
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. chair — a leader
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. charge — a price
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. charge — in control
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. safe — a strongbox

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