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: root · vault · kick · cabinet · stock · capital

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stock — goods
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. root — of a word
  6. vault — a safe
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. capital — money
  12. root — of a plant
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. capital — a city
  15. stock — shares
  16. kick — in football
  17. root — the cause
  18. cabinet — a cupboard

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