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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 120 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: stem · pitch · tube · cell · plane · bulb · craft · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — a container
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitch — completely
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. craft — a skill
  11. tube — the underground
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. cell — a phone
  15. cell — in biology
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. craft — boats
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — of a plant

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