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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 120 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: saw · branch · pitch · current · chip · sharp · craft · key

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. saw — the tool
  3. key — the most important part
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. current — electric
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. current — happening now
  8. sharp — clever
  9. pitch — completely
  10. craft — boats
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. saw — the tool
  13. craft — a skill
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. branch — a division
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. current — of water
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. key — in music

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