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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. shower — rain
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. key — in music
  6. track — a path
  7. track — a song
  8. board — to get on
  9. chip — to eat
  10. drill — a practice
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — a committee
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. shower — to wash
  19. track — to keep track
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bulb — for light
  22. key — the most important part
  23. drill — army training
  24. key — for a lock

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