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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. club — a group
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. club — for golf
  5. season — of the year
  6. club — for dancing
  7. key — in music
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. key — the most important part
  11. race — humankind
  12. fork — in a road
  13. race — the arms race
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. season — in sport
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bark — to shout
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. race — a contest
  24. season — to add flavour

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