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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 116 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: bass · face · trunk · deal · file · key

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. file — a line of people
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. face — part of the head
  5. key — the most important part
  6. file — a document
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. key — for a lock
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — to confront
  15. bass — low music
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. key — in music
  18. file — a tool

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