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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 116 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 · tube · can · stem · pit · chip · present · chair

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. present — there
  3. tube — a container
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. chip — to eat
  7. can — a tin
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. pit — a hole
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chair — a leader
  14. present — a gift
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. present — the time now
  17. can — to be able to
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. chip — for betting
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. tube — the underground
  23. pit — in a race
  24. can — a tin

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