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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: bore · nail · key · pitcher · race · mine · chip · fine

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. fine — high quality
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. fine — all right
  17. bore — to tire
  18. race — the arms race
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. race — humankind
  21. bore — to drill
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mine — for digging
  24. race — a contest

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