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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: kid · safe · lash · sharp · suit · lie · fork · hand

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. kid — child
  2. kid — to tease
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — to fit
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. sharp — clever
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. hand — in cards
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. hand — help
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. suit — in cards
  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