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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: branch · stick · staff · net · bore · cell · patient · mark

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. net — for catching
  10. bore — to tire
  11. cell — a phone
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. net — in sport
  16. staff — employees
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. net — after costs
  19. staff — a stick
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bore — to drill
  22. staff — employees
  23. mark — a grade
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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