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 120 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 · board · fine · chair · capital · march · deal · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. capital — money
  5. march — the month
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a committee
  8. deal — to handle
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. chair — a leader
  14. suit — in cards
  15. fine — all right
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rush — hurry
  19. march — music
  20. capital — a city
  21. march — the month
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. chair — to sit on

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