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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: bore · branch · board · stem · patient · game · charge · hide

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bore — to tire
  7. charge — in control
  8. bore — to drill
  9. charge — electricity
  10. board — to get on
  11. game — a match
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. game — wild animals
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. branch — a division
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. charge — a price
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. board — a committee

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