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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 120 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: dip · bay · chip · lie · perch · can · content · face

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. chip — to eat
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. can — a tin
  8. chip — for betting
  9. can — a tin
  10. face — to confront
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. can — to be able to
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. face — part of the head
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. content — happy
  19. dip — to sink
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. lie — to recline
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — the amount
  24. perch — the fish

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