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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: jam · straw · firm · chip · temple · stem · vault · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. chip — for betting
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. firm — decided
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. stem — to come from
  12. firm — a company
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. firm — steady
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. chip — to eat
  19. club — for dancing
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. vault — a safe
  22. club — a group
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. temple — a place of worship

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