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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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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: safe · fork · lie · dip · pitcher · lash · racket · chest

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. chest — of your body
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. chest — of your body
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. dip — to sink
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. chest — a box
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fork — in a road
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. fork — a garden tool

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