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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: jam · rash · season · bass · roll · racket · foot · craft

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. season — of the year
  3. roll — a cake
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. foot — a measure
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. craft — boats
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. season — in sport
  15. roll — a list
  16. bass — low music
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. rash — hasty
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bass — the fish

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