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: firm · branch · march · wound · sharp · stand · charge · current

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. charge — in control
  4. current — of water
  5. firm — steady
  6. current — electric
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. march — music
  9. wound — an injury
  10. current — happening now
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. branch — a division
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. sharp — clever
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wound — an injury
  22. march — the month
  23. charge — a price
  24. stand — to bear

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