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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 · last · cell · coach · snap · charge · tube · temple

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. last — final
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. snap — to click
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. charge — a price
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. last — to go on
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. cell — in biology
  19. tube — the underground
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. last — finally
  23. tube — a container
  24. coach — a trainer

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