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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.

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: cell · rash · rush · file · cue · dip · coach · march

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cue — a signal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. file — a document
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — a series
  8. march — music
  9. dip — to sink
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. file — a tool
  12. cell — in biology
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. cue — a hint
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rash — hasty
  19. cue — for pool
  20. file — a line of people
  21. march — the month
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. march — the month
  24. dip — to dunk

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