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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 · march · fork · rush · season · craft · tear · pitch

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. season — in sport
  4. craft — boats
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. march — the month
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. rush — hurry
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pitch — completely
  14. march — the month
  15. tear — from crying
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — to rip
  20. march — music
  21. season — of the year
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. craft — a skill

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