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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: content · drill · sharp · suit · court · kick · spell · roll

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. suit — clothes
  4. drill — the tool
  5. spell — a short time
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. spell — letters
  8. drill — a practice
  9. spell — magic
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. content — the amount
  12. roll — a list
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. court — of a king
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. court — of law
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. kick — in football
  19. sharp — clever
  20. drill — army training
  21. court — for sport
  22. suit — to fit
  23. roll — a cake
  24. content — happy

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