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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
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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 · chip · racket · trunk · perch · jam · season · staff

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. staff — employees
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. chip — for betting
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. season — in sport
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. season — of the year
  20. chip — to eat
  21. staff — employees
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. perch — the fish
  24. staff — a stick

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