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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 · current · fork · key · club · mouse · drill · nail

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — a song
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. track — to keep track
  5. drill — a practice
  6. key — the most important part
  7. fork — in a road
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. current — electric
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. drill — army training
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. current — of water
  18. club — for golf
  19. current — happening now
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. drill — the tool
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — a group

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