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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: degree · bass · pass · wax · cap · toast · chip · pitcher

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. chip — to eat
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bass — low music
  6. cap — a lid
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. degree — an amount
  10. cap — of ice
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — from a university
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. toast — bread
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. chip — for betting
  22. cap — a hat
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bass — the fish

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