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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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: club · perch · trunk · dip · content · lie · current · calf

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. content — happy
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. content — the amount
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — for golf
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. current — happening now
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. club — a group
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. current — electric
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. perch — the fish
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. current — of water
  24. lie — to recline

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