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: chair · deal · rush · charge · date · jam · root · cue

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. deal — to handle
  4. date — the fruit
  5. rush — hurry
  6. cue — a hint
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. root — the cause
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cue — a signal
  16. root — of a plant
  17. chair — a leader
  18. charge — a price
  19. root — of a word
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. charge — in control
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. cue — for pool
  24. date — on the calendar

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