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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 · kid · mate · pass · rush · toast · content · squash

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. rush — hurry
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. content — the amount
  6. mate — a partner
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. toast — bread
  9. mate — to breed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. content — happy
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. squash — the sport
  17. kid — child
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pass — a permit
  21. kid — to tease
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. squash — to crush

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