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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: deal · cabinet · season · spring · firm · hide · snap · bark

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  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. snap — to speak sharply
  2. spring — a coil
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. firm — a company
  5. bark — to shout
  6. spring — the season
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. season — of the year
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. deal — to handle
  12. firm — steady
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. spring — of water
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. season — in sport
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. firm — decided
  23. hide — animal skin
  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