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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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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: row · stand · fork · cap · stock · branch · perch · wave

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. cap — of ice
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. cap — a lid
  5. perch — the fish
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. row — a line
  9. fork — in a road
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. stand — to bear
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stock — goods
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. row — to paddle
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wave — with your hand

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