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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: ground · can · roll · calf · wound · dip · sharp · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. roll — a cake
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. can — to be able to
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — crushed
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. wound — an injury
  12. suit — to fit
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. wound — an injury
  17. dip — to sink
  18. roll — a list
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ground — a position
  23. suit — clothes
  24. sharp — clever

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