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 116 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 · calf · snap · rash · hand · court · stem · swing

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. swing — in golf
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. court — of law
  6. hand — in cards
  7. swing — music
  8. suit — clothes
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. hand — help
  12. swing — to play on
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rash — a series
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. rash — hasty
  19. suit — to fit
  20. court — of a king
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. stem — to come from
  23. court — for sport
  24. suit — in cards

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