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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: rest · plane · branch · stick · stock · pass · wave · field

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. branch — a division
  4. stock — goods
  5. field — a subject
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pass — a permit
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. field — farmland
  15. rest — a break
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. rest — what's left
  20. plane — a tool
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. stock — shares
  23. field — for sport
  24. branch — of a bank

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