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: stock · ruler · cue · chair · fall · march · deal · calf

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stock — goods
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. march — the month
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — a signal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. march — the month
  16. chair — a leader
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. fall — the season
  21. cue — for pool
  22. march — music
  23. stock — shares
  24. calf — of the leg

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