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 · straw · track · stem · lie · club · scale · swing

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. swing — music
  3. suit — to fit
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. track — a song
  8. suit — clothes
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — in golf
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. track — to keep track
  15. scale — size or range
  16. club — for golf
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — in music
  20. club — a group
  21. track — a path
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. suit — in cards
  24. club — for dancing

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