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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.

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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: roll · stand · ruler · mine · content · tube · game · fine

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. game — a match
  3. fine — all right
  4. tube — the underground
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — happy
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fine — high quality
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mine — for digging
  17. tube — a container
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. roll — a list
  20. stand — to bear
  21. content — the amount
  22. roll — a cake
  23. game — wild animals
  24. mine — belonging to me

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