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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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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 · staff · file · season · branch · scale · deal · pitch

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. scale — size or range
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. branch — a division
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. staff — a stick
  8. pitch — completely
  9. scale — in music
  10. current — electric
  11. file — a tool
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. staff — employees
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. staff — employees
  17. file — a document
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. current — happening now
  20. deal — to handle
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — of the year
  24. file — a line of people

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