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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.

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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: present · chip · tube · craft · stock · mark · sharp · club

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — for dancing
  6. mark — a trace
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stock — goods
  10. club — a group
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. tube — the underground
  14. chip — to eat
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. mark — a grade
  21. tube — a container
  22. present — there
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

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