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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: chip · rash · face · key · stand · season · pitch · swing

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. swing — in golf
  3. face — to confront
  4. season — of the year
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. key — in music
  7. chip — for betting
  8. face — to point toward
  9. key — for a lock
  10. rash — a series
  11. chip — to eat
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. stand — to bear
  14. swing — music
  15. face — part of the head
  16. key — the most important part
  17. swing — to play on
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rash — hasty
  21. pitch — completely
  22. season — in sport
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rash — on the 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