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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: suit · cabinet · club · swing · racket · capital · bound · stick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bound — obliged
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. capital — a city
  6. club — for golf
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — in golf
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — a group
  20. bound — tied together
  21. capital — money
  22. bound — certain
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. suit — to fit

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