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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 120 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.

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: chip · game · file · season · scale · craft · wax · bulb

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. season — in sport
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. chip — to eat
  5. game — a match
  6. scale — size or range
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. file — a tool
  9. season — of the year
  10. bulb — for light
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bulb — for light
  13. file — a line of people
  14. craft — a skill
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. game — wild animals
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. file — a document
  22. craft — boats
  23. wax — to grow
  24. chip — for betting

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