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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: roll · pit · bulb · charge · cap · capital · calf · cell

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. pit — in a race
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. cell — a phone
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. charge — a price
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. charge — in control
  11. cell — in biology
  12. capital — money
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. capital — a city
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bulb — for light
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bulb — for light
  23. roll — a cake
  24. cap — of ice

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