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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: saw · pass · calf · kick · temple · hand · roll · charge

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. charge — electricity
  5. roll — a cake
  6. pass — a permit
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. saw — the tool
  16. hand — help
  17. charge — in control
  18. hand — in cards
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. charge — a price
  22. kick — in football
  23. roll — a list
  24. hand — part of the body

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