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: face · suit · cue · key · wave · saw · chair · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. key — for a lock
  4. suit — in cards
  5. charge — in control
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. cue — a hint
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. chair — a leader
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cue — for pool
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. charge — a price
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. face — to confront
  18. suit — to fit
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to point toward
  22. saw — the tool
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — in music

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