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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: sharp · leaves · track · chair · racket · bat · temple · safe

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. track — a path
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. track — a song
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. chair — a leader
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bat — the animal
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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