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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: roll · rock · sharp · ground · coach · rash · dip · nail

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. rash — a series
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rock — a stone
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. roll — a list
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. sharp — clever
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. roll — a cake
  19. rock — music
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. dip — to sink
  24. ground — crushed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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