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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: date · rash · lie · rule · game · current · season · chip

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. current — electric
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. season — in sport
  6. game — a match
  7. rash — a series
  8. rule — a law
  9. game — wild animals
  10. chip — for betting
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. current — happening now
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — government
  17. current — of water
  18. season — of the year
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. lie — to recline
  21. date — the fruit
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. chip — to eat
  24. rash — hasty

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