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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: arm · kick · perch · chip · ball · dip · lie · roll

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ball — a great time
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. chip — to eat
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. kick — in football
  14. roll — a list
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. ball — a dance
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. chip — for betting
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. arm — a part of something

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