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 · cue · land · snap · bulb · stock · fine · prune

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. stock — goods
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fine — all right
  7. root — of a word
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to click
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fine — high quality
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. land — to come down
  14. prune — to trim
  15. root — the cause
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. land — a country
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stock — shares
  22. cue — a hint
  23. root — of a plant
  24. cue — a signal

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