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 · snap · calf · last · temple · jam · swing · game

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. suit — in cards
  3. game — wild animals
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. swing — to play on
  8. suit — to fit
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. swing — in golf
  11. suit — clothes
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. last — finally
  15. game — a match
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. swing — music
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. snap — to click
  22. last — final
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. game — a kind of play

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