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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: rule · chip · date · current · rock · shower · toast · deal

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. rock — music
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. current — happening now
  6. rule — a law
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. date — the fruit
  9. rock — a stone
  10. shower — rain
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. toast — bread
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. deal — to handle
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. chip — for betting
  18. shower — to wash
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. current — of water
  24. current — electric

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