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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: bear · mine · lean · patient · kick · stand · charge · pass

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. lean — thin
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. charge — a price
  10. bear — the animal
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bear — the animal
  13. kick — in football
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. stand — to bear
  16. lean — to bend
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. charge — electricity
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. charge — in control
  24. mine — for digging

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