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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: swing · race · hand · rush · pit · face · bank · march

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bank — for money
  4. march — the month
  5. swing — music
  6. face — to point toward
  7. march — the month
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. pit — in a race
  12. race — a contest
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. hand — help
  16. march — music
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. face — part of the head
  19. face — to confront
  20. swing — to play on
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. hand — in cards
  23. race — humankind
  24. pit — a hole

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