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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: branch · race · roll · nail · firm · stem · cold · bore

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. race — humankind
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. branch — a division
  5. stem — to come from
  6. race — the arms race
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. roll — a list
  11. bore — to tire
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cold — an illness
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. firm — steady
  18. bore — to drill
  19. race — a contest
  20. firm — a company
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. roll — a cake
  23. cold — not warm
  24. firm — decided

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