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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: key · rush · snap · mug · firm · stem · kid · fork

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. fork — in a road
  4. mug — to rob
  5. kid — child
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. firm — a company
  8. mug — a face
  9. kid — to tease
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. firm — steady
  13. key — the most important part
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. snap — to click
  16. key — in music
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stem — to come from
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. mug — a cup
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. firm — decided

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