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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: pit · shower · pass · chip · rush · swing · face · pitcher

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. shower — to wash
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rush — hurry
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — part of the head
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. shower — rain
  18. face — to confront
  19. pass — a permit
  20. chip — for betting
  21. swing — to play on
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pit — in a race

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