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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: field · mine · nail · stock · suit · land · wave · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. land — to come down
  5. mine — for digging
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. stock — shares
  9. field — a subject
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. suit — to fit
  13. field — for sport
  14. land — ground
  15. land — a country
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. field — farmland
  18. stock — goods
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. suit — in cards

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