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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · calf · file · land · charge · content · kick · rock

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a document
  4. charge — a price
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rock — music
  7. land — to come down
  8. can — to be able to
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. land — ground
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. kick — in football
  13. can — a tin
  14. content — happy
  15. content — the amount
  16. can — a tin
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rock — a stone
  21. land — a country
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. file — a line of people

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