ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

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 120 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
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

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: rock · lean · stock · deal · wax · object · court · rash

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — a series
  4. court — for sport
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. stock — shares
  8. rock — a stone
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. deal — to handle
  11. object — an aim
  12. stock — goods
  13. court — of law
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. rock — music
  16. object — to protest
  17. lean — to bend
  18. wax — to grow
  19. lean — thin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. court — of a king
  23. object — a thing
  24. rock — to move gently

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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