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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · deal · pitch · face · spring · rush · lie · pass

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pitch — completely
  5. spring — of water
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. deal — to handle
  9. swing — to play on
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. rush — hurry
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pass — a permit
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — the season
  18. face — to confront
  19. swing — in golf
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. lie — to recline
  23. swing — music
  24. lie — an untruth

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