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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: rush · chip · foot · nail · calf · fork · kick · bark

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — in football
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bark — to shout
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fork — in a road
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. rush — to hurry

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