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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 116 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: bulb · stock · firm · present · capital · vault · tear · object

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. object — an aim
  4. bulb — for light
  5. capital — money
  6. firm — decided
  7. tear — from crying
  8. present — the time now
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. tear — to rip
  11. object — a thing
  12. present — there
  13. firm — steady
  14. capital — a city
  15. present — a gift
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — a company
  21. vault — a safe
  22. object — to protest
  23. stock — shares
  24. tear — from crying

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