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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: land · pass · stand · calf · object · bat · charge · lean

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. land — to come down
  3. land — ground
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pass — a permit
  9. charge — electricity
  10. object — a thing
  11. stand — to bear
  12. charge — a price
  13. bat — the animal
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. object — to protest
  22. land — a country
  23. charge — in control
  24. lean — thin

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