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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: lie · pitcher · chip · mark · key · squash · wax · court

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  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. court — for sport
  2. court — of law
  3. squash — to crush
  4. mark — a grade
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. key — the most important part
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. squash — the sport
  10. lie — to recline
  11. court — of a king
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. key — in music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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