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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: track · bulb · file · chip · lie · snap · drill · current

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. current — happening now
  3. drill — army training
  4. track — a path
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. snap — to click
  8. chip — for betting
  9. current — of water
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — the tool
  13. current — electric
  14. file — a document
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. chip — to eat
  18. file — a line of people
  19. bulb — for light
  20. file — a tool
  21. track — a song
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. track — to keep track

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