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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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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: board · track · drill · bowl · snap · chip · staff · key

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. snap — to click
  5. board — a committee
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. board — to get on
  9. key — in music
  10. track — a song
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — a practice
  15. drill — the tool
  16. track — a path
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — the most important part
  22. track — to keep track
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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