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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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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: stand · bay · pass · pop · chip · dip

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pop — music
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pop — soda
  10. chip — to eat
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. dip — to sink
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. dip — a sauce

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