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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: cabinet · wave · branch · plane · arm · bore · mark · stem

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. plane — a tool
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mark — a grade
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bore — to drill
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mark — a trace
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bore — gave birth

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