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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: mug · trunk · temple · march · file · club · deal · pitch

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. mug — a cup
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. march — the month
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. mug — a face
  9. file — a line of people
  10. mug — to rob
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. march — the month
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pitch — completely
  17. file — a document
  18. deal — to handle
  19. club — a group
  20. march — music
  21. file — a tool
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. club — for golf
  24. deal — an agreement

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