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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.

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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: hide · bound · mark · bay · kick · charge

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bound — obliged
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bound — certain
  8. charge — in control
  9. bound — tied together
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. charge — a price
  15. kick — in football
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. charge — electricity
  18. hide — animal skin

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