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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.

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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: track · safe · snap · nail · file · key · mate · chip

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. chip — to eat
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a path
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — to breed
  8. file — a tool
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. track — a song
  14. snap — to click
  15. key — in music
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. chip — for betting
  18. mate — a partner
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. file — a line of people
  22. key — the most important part
  23. file — a document
  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