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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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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: bass · pass · season · pound · cap · chip · safe · stand

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. stand — to bear
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cap — of ice
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bass — the fish
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. chip — to eat
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. season — of the year
  16. bass — low music
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. cap — a hat
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. season — in sport
  24. safe — a strongbox

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