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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: deal · nail · board · arm · stem · bore · branch · object

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bore — to drill
  3. stem — to come from
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. board — a committee
  11. object — a thing
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bore — to tire
  15. branch — a division
  16. object — an aim
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. object — to protest
  23. board — to get on
  24. nail — for a hammer

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