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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: race · hide · fan · court · mug · vault · bore · pitcher

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. mug — a face
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. race — humankind
  6. mug — to rob
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. court — for sport
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. vault — a safe
  14. court — of law
  15. race — a contest
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bore — to tire
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bore — to drill
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. race — the arms race
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. hide — to keep secret

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