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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: plane · stock · can · key · branch · pass · field · wave

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. stock — shares
  3. branch — a division
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. field — for sport
  6. can — a tin
  7. field — a subject
  8. pass — a permit
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. key — for a lock
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. key — the most important part
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. can — a tin
  21. key — in music
  22. can — to be able to
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. stock — goods

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