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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: leaves · shower · current · deal · hand · chip · rule · press

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. current — happening now
  4. chip — to eat
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. shower — rain
  7. hand — help
  8. chip — for betting
  9. current — of water
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — a publisher
  12. rule — a law
  13. deal — to handle
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. shower — to wash
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. press — to push
  21. rule — government
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. hand — in cards

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