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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 · snap · roll · spring · bark · calf · deal · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. roll — a list
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. spring — the season
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. deal — to handle
  11. saw — the tool
  12. spring — of water
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. season — of the year
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bark — to shout
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. roll — a cake
  24. snap — to click

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