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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
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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: file · roll · calf · leaves · content · pass · charge · game

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. game — a match
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. roll — a list
  7. file — a document
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. charge — in control
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. roll — a cake
  13. charge — electricity
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. game — wild animals
  16. charge — a price
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. file — a line of people
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — happy
  23. pass — a permit
  24. file — a tool

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