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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: patient · stand · present · leaves · face · clip · board · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. present — the time now
  3. clip — a video
  4. clip — to cut
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. present — a gift
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. board — a committee
  10. face — to point toward
  11. present — there
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. board — to get on
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. face — part of the head
  20. face — to confront
  21. clip — for paper
  22. kick — in football
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. kick — a thrill

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