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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: coach · fork · board · branch · bulb · stem · arm · drill

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bulb — for light
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bulb — for light
  6. branch — a division
  7. drill — army training
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. fork — in a road
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stem — to come from
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. drill — a practice
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. board — to get on
  24. bulb — of a plant

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