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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: suit · squash · rush · jam · rest · bore · last · date

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. squash — the sport
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bore — to tire
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bore — to drill
  9. rest — what's left
  10. suit — in cards
  11. squash — to crush
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. last — final
  14. last — finally
  15. rush — hurry
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. last — to go on
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. date — the fruit
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. suit — to fit

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