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: row · fork · root · last · plane · sharp · march · charge

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. last — to go on
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. root — of a plant
  6. march — the month
  7. charge — in control
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. charge — electricity
  11. march — the month
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. root — of a word
  14. last — final
  15. row — a line
  16. fork — in a road
  17. charge — a price
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. march — music
  20. last — finally
  21. plane — a tool
  22. root — the cause
  23. sharp — clever
  24. row — to paddle

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