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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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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: stem · dip · board · pit · current · patient · branch · nail

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — to come from
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. branch — a division
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pit — a hole
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. current — of water
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. board — to get on
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. current — electric
  20. pit — in a race
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. board — a committee
  23. current — happening now
  24. dip — to sink

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