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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: chip · rule · rush · face · deal · current · roll · rash

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — a cake
  3. face — part of the head
  4. chip — for betting
  5. current — of water
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rule — government
  14. current — electric
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rash — a series
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rule — a law
  21. face — to confront
  22. current — happening now
  23. chip — to eat
  24. deal — a big deal

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