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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: pitcher · cell · date · track · ruler · ball · hide · mate

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mate — a partner
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mate — a friend
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cell — a phone
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mate — to breed
  15. cell — in biology
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ball — a great time
  18. track — a path
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. date — the fruit
  23. track — a song
  24. date — on the calendar

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