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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 116 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 · ball · calf · wax · chip · bulb · track · lie

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. ball — a dance
  3. chip — to eat
  4. capital — a city
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. track — a song
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. track — to keep track
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chip — for betting
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. track — a path
  23. ball — a great time
  24. wax — to grow

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