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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: scale · present · bark · stand · season · fork · row · club

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — in sport
  9. stand — to bear
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bark — to shout
  15. fork — in a road
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — in music
  18. row — a line
  19. season — of the year
  20. present — the time now
  21. club — a group
  22. scale — size or range
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — there

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