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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: craft · stock · suit · chip · cell · net · firm · tube

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  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. tube — a container
  2. stock — goods
  3. suit — clothes
  4. craft — boats
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — decided
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — a phone
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. chip — to eat
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. firm — a company
  18. stock — shares
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — after costs
  23. tube — the underground
  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