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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 120 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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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: cap · rush · tube · pit · wave · chair · cue · arm

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. cap — of ice
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pit — in a race
  10. cap — a hat
  11. chair — a leader
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. tube — a container
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cue — for pool
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pit — a hole
  22. cue — a signal
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. tube — the underground

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