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: jam · rule · deal · rash · stock · face · scale · mouse

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. scale — in music
  4. rule — government
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. face — to point toward
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. rash — hasty
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. face — to confront
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. face — part of the head
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. rule — a law
  18. rash — a series
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. deal — to handle
  21. stock — shares
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. jam — in traffic

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