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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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468
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: perch · capital · roll · lie · toast · deal · dip · fan

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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. roll — a list
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. perch — the fish
  6. capital — money
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — bread
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. capital — a city
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. roll — a cake
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. deal — to handle

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