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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: rash · pit · mark · mug · dip · pop · perch · lie

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. perch — the fish
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. pop — soda
  7. pit — a hole
  8. mug — a face
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. mark — a trace
  11. rash — hasty
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mark — a grade
  15. pop — music
  16. mug — to rob
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rash — a series

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