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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: charge · can · lean · mine · stand · ground

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. lean — thin
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. lean — to bend
  6. can — a tin
  7. charge — a price
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. charge — in control
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. charge — electricity
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mine — for digging
  15. can — to be able to
  16. ground — crushed
  17. can — a tin
  18. ground — a position

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