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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: last · pass · nail · hide · pitch · bulb · bass · lean

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. last — final
  4. last — to go on
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bass — the fish
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. pass — a permit
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. last — finally
  17. bulb — for light
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lean — thin
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pitch — completely
  24. hide — animal skin

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