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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.

Make a worksheet

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: ruler · file · rush · wave · game · stand · dip · content

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. file — a tool
  4. rush — hurry
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. file — a line of people
  11. dip — to sink
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. stand — to bear
  14. game — a match
  15. file — a document
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — the amount
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. game — wild animals
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. content — happy

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