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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: pass · chip · bore · season · bound · court · rash · safe

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. court — of law
  6. pass — a permit
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bound — tied together
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — hasty
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bore — to drill
  16. court — for sport
  17. bound — certain
  18. bore — to tire
  19. court — of a king
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. chip — for betting
  22. rash — a series
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. season — of the year

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