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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: branch · pass · pitch · chip · current · trunk · mine · bass

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — electric
  3. bass — the fish
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. chip — for betting
  8. pass — a permit
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bass — low music
  11. branch — a division
  12. pitch — completely
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — for digging
  18. chip — to eat
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. current — of water
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. mine — belonging to me

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