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: object · plane · march · bound · charge · current · rock · root

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bound — tied together
  3. march — the month
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. charge — electricity
  6. root — of a plant
  7. current — electric
  8. root — of a word
  9. plane — a tool
  10. object — a thing
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. object — to protest
  13. march — music
  14. charge — a price
  15. rock — music
  16. charge — in control
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. root — the cause
  20. object — an aim
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — of water
  23. rock — a stone
  24. plane — in geometry

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