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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bank — for money
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — the earth
  10. key — for a lock
  11. file — a tool
  12. bank — of a river
  13. chip — to eat
  14. swing — music
  15. key — in music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bank — for money
  20. swing — to play on
  21. file — a document
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. swing — in golf
  24. key — the most important part

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