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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: capital · vault · rush · mug · firm · hide · stem · bulb

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. firm — a company
  4. capital — a city
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mug — a cup
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. mug — a face
  9. bulb — for light
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. firm — decided
  13. capital — money
  14. firm — steady
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mug — to rob
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stem — a stem cell

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