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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 · pitch · temple · trunk · mine · firm · deal · club

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. firm — a company
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — to handle
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. club — for dancing
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. club — for golf
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — steady
  21. mine — for digging
  22. pitch — completely
  23. club — a group
  24. temple — a place of worship

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