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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: bore · safe · spring · calf · kick · pitch · mug · pit

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. kick — in football
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bore — to drill
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pitch — completely
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pit — in a race
  14. spring — the season
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pit — a hole
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. mug — a face
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. mug — to rob
  24. spring — of water

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