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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: lash · mark · rash · craft · jam · cue · field · season

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. rash — hasty
  7. season — of the year
  8. craft — boats
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. season — in sport
  11. field — a subject
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. mark — a grade
  17. field — for sport
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. mark — a trace
  22. field — farmland
  23. craft — a skill
  24. cue — a signal

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