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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: object · deal · bass · rule · file · jam · trunk · mine

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. object — an aim
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. rule — government
  10. file — a document
  11. rule — a law
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. object — a thing
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. deal — to handle
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. mine — for digging
  20. file — a line of people
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. object — to protest
  23. file — a tool
  24. mine — an explosive

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