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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 120 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: swing · bulb · mark · field · foot · mouse · key · chair

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. field — farmland
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. swing — music
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. chair — a leader
  9. swing — in golf
  10. mark — a grade
  11. swing — to play on
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bulb — for light
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. key — in music
  17. foot — a measure
  18. field — a subject
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. field — for sport
  21. key — for a lock
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mark — a trace

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