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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: suit · wake · jam · drill · arm · coach · cue · sharp

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. suit — to fit
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. drill — army training
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wake — a trail
  11. drill — the tool
  12. sharp — clever
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cue — a hint
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. suit — clothes
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. cue — for pool
  23. sharp — with an edge
  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