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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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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: board · key · pitch · branch · coach · temple · bass · mark

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. key — for a lock
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. branch — a division
  8. board — to get on
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pitch — completely
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. mark — a grade
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. board — a committee
  24. key — in music

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