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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: lean · stick · pass · current · pitch · bass · face · bowl

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — to bend
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bass — low music
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bass — the fish
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. current — happening now
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — to confront

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