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: kick · ruler · content · bulb · plane · roll · capital · stock

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. stock — goods
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bulb — for light
  5. capital — money
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. plane — a tool
  11. capital — a city
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bulb — for light
  15. kick — in football
  16. roll — a list
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. stock — shares
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. content — happy
  24. capital — a big letter

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