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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: club · toast · wave · lie · current · ground · pop · mug

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. current — electric
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. club — a group
  5. ground — a position
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — to rob
  8. current — happening now
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. club — for golf
  12. current — of water
  13. ground — crushed
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. club — for dancing
  16. toast — bread
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mug — a cup
  21. pop — music
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pop — soda

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