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 · racket · deal · rule · charge · branch · cue · chair

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. rule — government
  3. charge — a price
  4. cue — for pool
  5. suit — clothes
  6. charge — in control
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — a law
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cue — a signal
  13. chair — a leader
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. cue — a hint
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. deal — to handle
  19. charge — electricity
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. branch — a division
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. suit — to fit

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