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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: degree · chip · charge · sharp · scale · calf · key · bank

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bank — of a river
  4. key — in music
  5. charge — a price
  6. sharp — clever
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bank — for money
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. charge — in control
  13. key — for a lock
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. key — the most important part
  18. degree — from a university
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bank — for money
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. degree — an amount

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