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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: net · chip · hide · clip · stock · craft · coach · mug

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. mug — a face
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. net — in sport
  9. mug — to rob
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. net — after costs
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mug — a cup
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. stock — goods
  17. clip — a video
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. clip — to cut
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stock — shares
  22. chip — for betting
  23. craft — a skill
  24. clip — for paper

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