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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 120 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: stem · firm · capital · perch · mug · vault · chair · swing

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. mug — a cup
  3. swing — to play on
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mug — a face
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. mug — to rob
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. vault — a safe
  11. firm — a company
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. capital — money
  16. swing — music
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. firm — steady
  20. chair — a leader
  21. swing — in golf
  22. firm — decided
  23. capital — a city
  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