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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: calf · snap · cell · pit · kick · safe

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. snap — to click
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. cell — in biology
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. pit — a hole

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