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: wave · bulb · root · kick · key · last · rule · stock

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. key — in music
  5. last — final
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — goods
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. root — of a word
  11. key — the most important part
  12. last — finally
  13. rule — a law
  14. bulb — for light
  15. root — of a plant
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — government
  18. root — the cause
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. key — for a lock
  22. kick — in football
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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