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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: capital · vault · cell · tear · stem · charge · firm · cabinet

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. tear — from crying
  3. stem — to come from
  4. charge — electricity
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. cell — in biology
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. tear — to rip
  9. cell — a phone
  10. firm — decided
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. charge — a price
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. capital — money
  16. firm — a company
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. vault — a safe
  21. tear — from crying
  22. capital — a city
  23. charge — in control
  24. firm — steady

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