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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 · deal · coach · scale · branch · calf · chair

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. scale — in music
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. scale — size or range
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. degree — from a university
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chair — a leader
  21. degree — temperature
  22. degree — an amount
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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