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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
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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 · mouse · chair · pop · cap · arm · last · cell

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. chair — a leader
  3. last — final
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cell — in biology
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pop — music
  9. pop — to visit
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. last — finally
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a lid
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. last — to go on
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. pop — soda

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