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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: fan · club · trunk · branch · last · cap · temple · ruler

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. last — final
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. last — finally
  6. club — for golf
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cap — of ice
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. club — for dancing
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. cap — a lid
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. cap — a hat
  18. last — to go on
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — a division
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. club — a group

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