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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: patient · firm · object · kick · stem · key · mark · ground

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. key — in music
  4. object — a thing
  5. firm — steady
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mark — a trace
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. object — to protest
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. kick — in football
  12. ground — a position
  13. firm — decided
  14. key — for a lock
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. object — an aim
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. mark — a grade
  20. firm — a company
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — the earth
  23. key — the most important part
  24. stem — to come from

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