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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
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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: pitcher · track · pitch · lie · row · date · ruler · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. row — to paddle
  3. track — to keep track
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. row — a line
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. pitch — completely
  12. date — the fruit
  13. lie — to recline
  14. track — a path
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. tube — a container
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. track — a song
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. pitch — a sports field

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