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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 116 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: content · stand · ruler · court · lie · root · mate · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. content — happy
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. root — of a plant
  7. stand — to bear
  8. court — for sport
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. content — the amount
  11. court — of law
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. court — of a king
  16. mate — a friend
  17. lie — to recline
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. mate — a partner
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. root — the cause
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. root — of a word

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