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 · snap · stock · stick · swing · rock · straw · suit

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. rock — music
  5. snap — to click
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. stock — goods
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. suit — clothes
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. rock — a stone
  15. stock — shares
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. swing — music
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. swing — to play on
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. swing — in golf
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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