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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: perch · nail · snap · stock · craft · chip · ball · last

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ball — a great time
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stock — shares
  7. ball — a dance
  8. craft — a skill
  9. last — to go on
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. craft — boats
  18. last — final
  19. last — finally
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. snap — to click
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. chip — for betting

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