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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · craft · current · sharp · rock · chip · cold · rush

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. chip — to eat
  7. sharp — clever
  8. rock — a stone
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. chip — for betting
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. current — electric
  13. rock — music
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. cold — not warm
  16. current — happening now
  17. craft — boats
  18. cold — an illness
  19. branch — a division
  20. current — of water
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — hurry
  24. sharp — with an edge

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