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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: trunk · pass · tube · pitch · cell · craft · object · chip

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pass — a permit
  7. cell — a phone
  8. craft — boats
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. cell — in biology
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. object — to protest
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — completely
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. object — an aim
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. chip — for betting
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. object — a thing
  23. craft — a skill
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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