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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
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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: spring · drill · chip · key · ruler · mouse · ball · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. key — the most important part
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. track — a path
  5. drill — army training
  6. drill — the tool
  7. key — in music
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. track — a song
  10. spring — a coil
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. spring — of water
  13. spring — the season
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. chip — to eat
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. drill — a practice
  23. key — for a lock
  24. chip — for betting

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