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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 120 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: face · bore · present · clip · dip · cue · fan · rest

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. clip — a video
  3. rest — what's left
  4. clip — to cut
  5. clip — for paper
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rest — a break
  10. face — to point toward
  11. cue — for pool
  12. present — a gift
  13. cue — a hint
  14. present — there
  15. rest — what's left
  16. face — part of the head
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. face — to confront
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. dip — to sink
  21. present — the time now
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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