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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 116 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 · branch · band · pitch · rest · chip · pass · patient

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. chip — to eat
  3. band — a music group
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. current — happening now
  6. rest — a break
  7. current — electric
  8. pitch — completely
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pass — a permit
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — a division
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. chip — for betting
  24. current — of water

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