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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: arm · nail · cabinet · pound · chip · patient · stem · branch

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. branch — a division
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. chip — to eat
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. stem — to come from
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pound — a weight
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. arm — part of the body

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