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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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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: cue · cap · dip · drill · deal · sharp · suit · coach

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. dip — to sink
  4. cue — for pool
  5. suit — to fit
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. drill — the tool
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cue — a hint
  13. drill — army training
  14. cue — a signal
  15. suit — in cards
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. drill — a practice
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. cap — a lid
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. cap — of ice
  23. suit — clothes
  24. sharp — clever

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