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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: clip · stand · nail · hide · craft · trunk · snap · stock

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. stock — shares
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. clip — to cut
  10. snap — to click
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. craft — boats
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. clip — for paper
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stock — goods
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stand — to bear
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. craft — a skill
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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