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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.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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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: rush · object · rash · last · wake · present · tube · chair

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. present — the time now
  3. chair — a leader
  4. present — there
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rash — hasty
  7. object — an aim
  8. tube — a container
  9. present — a gift
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. last — final
  12. object — a thing
  13. tube — the underground
  14. rash — a series
  15. wake — a trail
  16. last — to go on
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. last — finally
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. rush — hurry
  24. object — to protest

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