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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: tube · trunk · pitch · prune · plane · press · stock · ruler

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. plane — a tool
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. press — a publisher
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. stock — goods
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. press — newspapers
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. press — to push
  20. pitch — completely
  21. stock — shares
  22. tube — a container
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. tube — the underground

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