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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: firm · hide · stock · stem · bear · vault · chair · toast

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. toast — bread
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. stock — goods
  5. firm — a company
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. firm — decided
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stock — shares
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bear — the animal
  15. chair — a leader
  16. firm — steady
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. vault — a safe

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