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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
468
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 · calf · scale · cabinet · bark · season · snap · field

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. scale — in music
  3. field — farmland
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. snap — to click
  6. season — of the year
  7. scale — size or range
  8. field — for sport
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. season — in sport
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. field — a subject
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. calf — of the leg

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