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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: capital · bulb · calf · pass · roll · chip · chest · cap

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. cap — a lid
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. capital — money
  6. chip — to eat
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bulb — for light
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pass — a permit
  16. capital — a city
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bulb — for light
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — a box
  22. roll — a list
  23. chest — of your body
  24. roll — a cake

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