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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: can · pit · cue · kick · present · stem · face · clip

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. stem — to come from
  3. present — there
  4. can — a tin
  5. kick — in football
  6. clip — to cut
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cue — a signal
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. cue — a hint
  13. clip — a video
  14. pit — in a race
  15. face — part of the head
  16. can — a tin
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. present — a gift
  19. clip — for paper
  20. face — to point toward
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. face — to confront
  23. cue — for pool
  24. can — to be able to

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