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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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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: content · chip · chest · shower · rule · deal · mug · fork

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. chest — a box
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. shower — to wash
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. shower — rain
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chest — of your body
  12. mug — to rob
  13. rule — a law
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. rule — government
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. fork — in a road
  19. mug — a face
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — happy
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. mug — a cup
  24. fork — a garden tool

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