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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pitch · date · spring · arm · tube · trunk · vault · rush

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. pitch — completely
  8. spring — of water
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. vault — a safe
  12. spring — the season
  13. rush — hurry
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — a container
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. date — the fruit
  22. spring — a coil
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. date — on the calendar

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