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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 · racket · rush · bass · season · craft · temple · track

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — in sport
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rush — hurry
  8. track — a song
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. track — to keep track
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bass — the fish
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. track — a path
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bass — low music
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. craft — boats

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