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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
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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 · bass · net · court · board · lie · perch · root

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. court — for sport
  3. charge — a price
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. board — a committee
  8. bass — the fish
  9. charge — in control
  10. bass — low music
  11. net — after costs
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. perch — the fish
  15. lie — to recline
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. net — for catching
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. charge — electricity
  20. court — of law
  21. net — in sport
  22. board — to get on
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. root — of a word

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