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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: kid · squash · content · lie · perch · dip · mug · rock

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. dip — to sink
  3. kid — child
  4. perch — the fish
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mug — to rob
  10. rock — a stone
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. squash — to crush
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rock — music
  15. content — happy
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. content — the amount
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mug — a face
  20. kid — to tease
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — the sport
  23. mug — a cup
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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