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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 116 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
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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: racket · swing · suit · cabinet · key · bear · spell · branch

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. suit — in cards
  4. swing — music
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. spell — letters
  9. key — in music
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bear — the animal
  17. spell — magic
  18. branch — a division
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. suit — clothes
  21. swing — in golf
  22. key — for a lock
  23. swing — to play on
  24. key — the most important part

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