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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: race · ground · lie · wake · foot · snap · spell · current

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. current — happening now
  3. lie — to recline
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ground — a position
  8. current — of water
  9. spell — letters
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. ground — crushed
  12. race — humankind
  13. foot — a measure
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. snap — to click
  17. current — electric
  18. spell — magic
  19. wake — a trail
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. race — the arms race
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. spell — a short time
  24. race — a contest

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