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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: chip · drill · can · sharp · object · coach · calf · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. drill — a practice
  4. can — to be able to
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. object — to protest
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. cue — for pool
  10. can — a tin
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. object — an aim
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. drill — the tool
  15. chip — for betting
  16. can — a tin
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. sharp — clever
  19. chip — to eat
  20. cue — a signal
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. drill — army training
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. object — a thing

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