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 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.

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: straw · stock · rush · patient · racket · club · ruler · stand

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — hurry
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. club — a group
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. stock — shares
  7. club — for golf
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. stand — to bear
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stock — goods
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. club — for dancing
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. racket — a loud noise

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