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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 116 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: bank · degree · ball · safe · fan · cap · charge · season

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cap — a hat
  3. charge — in control
  4. bank — for money
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ball — a great time
  10. charge — electricity
  11. degree — an amount
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bank — of a river
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — of the year
  19. cap — of ice
  20. season — in sport
  21. charge — a price
  22. degree — temperature
  23. degree — from a university
  24. ball — a dance

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