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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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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: face · pitch · pit · pass · chair · bass · lean · mark

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. face — to confront
  5. lean — to bend
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pitch — completely
  11. mark — a grade
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. mark — a trace
  14. pass — a permit
  15. chair — a leader
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bass — low music
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. pass — to succeed

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