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: rash · march · ruler · pop · hand · stock · deal · swing

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — help
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. swing — to play on
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. swing — in golf
  11. pop — to visit
  12. stock — shares
  13. march — the month
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — a series
  16. march — the month
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pop — music
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rash — hasty
  22. stock — goods
  23. pop — soda
  24. march — music

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