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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 · kick · jam · sharp · spell · dip · deal · track

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. track — a path
  3. track — a song
  4. dip — to sink
  5. spell — letters
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. track — to keep track
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. deal — to handle
  11. roll — a cake
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. spell — a short time
  14. kick — in football
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. spell — magic
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. roll — a list

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