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: suit · stem · squash · lie · present · wave · mug · track

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mug — a face
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. lie — to recline
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. track — a song
  11. present — a gift
  12. mug — a cup
  13. suit — clothes
  14. squash — the sport
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. mug — to rob
  17. squash — to crush
  18. track — a path
  19. track — to keep track
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — there
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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