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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: foot · rush · kid · board · staff · lie · chip · fork

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. kid — child
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. foot — a measure
  8. staff — employees
  9. kid — to tease
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. chip — to eat
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fork — in a road
  17. rush — hurry
  18. chip — for betting
  19. staff — a stick
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. board — a committee
  23. staff — employees
  24. board — to get on

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