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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 120 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: can · key · lie · fall · chip · court · pitch · firm

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. can — a tin
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pitch — completely
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — for a lock
  7. fall — to drop
  8. court — of law
  9. chip — to eat
  10. court — for sport
  11. fall — to drop
  12. firm — a company
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. fall — the season
  15. court — of a king
  16. key — in music
  17. firm — steady
  18. can — a tin
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. lie — to recline
  21. chip — for betting
  22. can — to be able to
  23. firm — decided
  24. lie — an untruth

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