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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.

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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
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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: charge · perch · net · safe · bark · bat · swing · board

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. board — a committee
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bark — to shout
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bat — the animal
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. board — to get on
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. charge — in control
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — for catching
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. charge — a price
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — in golf
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. swing — music
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. perch — the fish
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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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