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: ruler · stock · chair · stand · rash · deal · wax · race

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. race — a contest
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. stock — goods
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wax — to grow
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. race — the arms race
  16. rash — a series
  17. stock — shares
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rash — hasty
  21. deal — to handle
  22. chair — a leader
  23. race — humankind
  24. deal — a big deal

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