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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: capital · lie · chip · wave · pass · pit · wax · ball

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. capital — a city
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wax — to grow
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. ball — a great time
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pass — a permit
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — money
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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