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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: net · rest · wound · arm · rush · stock · chip · coach

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. net — after costs
  9. chip — to eat
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. wound — an injury
  12. net — for catching
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rest — what's left
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stock — shares
  19. rush — hurry
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — goods
  22. rest — a break
  23. net — in sport
  24. coach — a trainer

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