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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: racket · pit · jam · bulb · craft · bore · field · season

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a hole
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — farmland
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. craft — boats
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bulb — for light
  18. field — for sport
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. craft — a skill
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — in sport

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