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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: rash · lie · swing · ruler · pitch · drill · jam · face

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rash — a series
  3. face — to confront
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. swing — music
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. face — to point toward
  8. swing — to play on
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rash — hasty
  11. drill — the tool
  12. pitch — completely
  13. drill — army training
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. drill — a practice
  17. lie — to recline
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. face — part of the head
  20. swing — in golf
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ruler — a monarch

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