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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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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: chest · pass · stem · safe · foot · dip · lash · wake

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stem — to come from
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. foot — a measure
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. chest — a box
  13. chest — of your body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. pass — a permit
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. wake — a trail
  24. safe — a strongbox

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