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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: saw · jam · kid · spring · swing · board · bark · calf

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. spring — the season
  5. swing — in golf
  6. spring — a coil
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. kid — to tease
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. saw — the tool
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bark — to shout
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. swing — music
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. board — a committee
  21. kid — child
  22. spring — of water
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. swing — to play on

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