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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: last · suit · cap · rush · arm · mark · wake · cell

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. cell — in biology
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wake — a trail
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cell — a phone
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mark — a trace
  11. suit — in cards
  12. last — to go on
  13. mark — a grade
  14. last — finally
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. suit — to fit
  17. cap — a lid
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. last — final
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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