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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 116 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: spring · drill · perch · season · leaves · file · safe · chair

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. season — in sport
  4. file — a line of people
  5. spring — a coil
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. drill — the tool
  11. spring — the season
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. season — of the year
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. perch — the fish
  17. drill — a practice
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. spring — of water
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. file — a document
  22. drill — army training
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. season — to add flavour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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