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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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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: wave · lie · pit · bowl · chip · wake · capital · cue

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. capital — money
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. cue — a hint
  9. wake — a trail
  10. cue — for pool
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. cue — a signal
  17. lie — to recline
  18. chip — to eat
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a hole

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