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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: perch · rash · can · current · dip · arm · board · lie

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to sink
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. can — a tin
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. current — electric
  8. current — happening now
  9. rash — hasty
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. board — a committee
  16. perch — the fish
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. lie — to recline
  19. current — of water
  20. rash — a series
  21. can — to be able to
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. can — a tin
  24. perch — for a bird

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