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

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. charge — electricity
  3. mine — for digging
  4. net — for catching
  5. stand — to bear
  6. can — a tin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. ground — a position
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. charge — a price
  11. net — in sport
  12. ground — crushed
  13. can — a tin
  14. net — after costs
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. charge — in control
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. can — to be able to
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pit — a hole
  23. lean — thin
  24. pit — in a race

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