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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: cell · kick · cap · fan · can · charge · bank · pit

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. cap — a lid
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bank — of a river
  6. cell — a phone
  7. bank — for money
  8. pit — a hole
  9. cap — a hat
  10. pit — in a race
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. cell — in biology
  14. charge — in control
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. charge — a price
  19. bank — for money
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cap — of ice
  22. can — a tin
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. fan — a supporter

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