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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: firm · root · court · can · chest · last · pit · lie

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. root — of a plant
  3. last — finally
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — in a race
  6. chest — a box
  7. last — final
  8. firm — decided
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. can — to be able to
  11. firm — steady
  12. chest — of your body
  13. lie — to recline
  14. court — of a king
  15. last — to go on
  16. can — a tin
  17. court — for sport
  18. pit — a hole
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — the cause
  21. chest — of your body
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. firm — a company
  24. court — of law

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