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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: board · rock · root · bark · arm · charge · net · kick

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. root — of a word
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. net — after costs
  6. bark — to shout
  7. net — in sport
  8. root — of a plant
  9. board — to get on
  10. kick — in football
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. net — for catching
  14. board — a committee
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. charge — electricity
  17. root — the cause
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. rock — music
  20. charge — a price
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. rock — a stone

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