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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: kick · calf · snap · pit · stem · drill · dip · safe

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  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. stem — a stem cell
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. drill — a practice
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. drill — army training
  6. pit — in a race
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. stem — to come from
  15. dip — to sink
  16. drill — the tool
  17. snap — to click
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pit — a hole
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. kick — in football
  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