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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: wax · rest · straw · file · chip · bulb · sharp · saw

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. chip — to eat
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. file — a tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. chip — for betting
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. file — a document
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rest — a break
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. sharp — clever

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