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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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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: race · cue · face · club · swing · bound · pit · chip

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. face — part of the head
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — music
  5. chip — for betting
  6. face — to confront
  7. club — for golf
  8. race — a contest
  9. bound — certain
  10. race — humankind
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. pit — a hole
  13. cue — a hint
  14. club — a group
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bound — tied together
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. cue — for pool
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bound — obliged
  21. cue — a signal
  22. face — to point toward
  23. chip — to eat
  24. club — for dancing

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