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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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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: bay · mug · shower · arm · vault · court · bear · pitcher

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. shower — rain
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mug — a face
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. vault — a safe
  17. court — for sport
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. court — of a king
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. shower — to wash
  23. court — of law
  24. mug — to rob

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