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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: rest · bore · present · clip · stick · staff · pop · board

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. clip — a video
  4. staff — employees
  5. bore — to tire
  6. present — there
  7. present — the time now
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. present — a gift
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rest — a break
  12. pop — soda
  13. staff — employees
  14. board — to get on
  15. bore — to drill
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. staff — a stick
  19. board — a committee
  20. pop — music
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pop — to visit
  23. clip — for paper
  24. rest — what's left

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