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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: current · track · chip · content · season · pit · deal · branch

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. chip — to eat
  3. branch — a division
  4. content — happy
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. season — in sport
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. deal — to handle
  11. current — of water
  12. track — a song
  13. chip — for betting
  14. current — happening now
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. track — a path
  18. season — of the year
  19. pit — a hole
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. content — the amount
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. current — electric

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