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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. degree — temperature
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. perch — the fish
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. degree — an amount
  10. race — the arms race
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. prune — to trim
  16. degree — from a university
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. race — a contest
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. race — humankind
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. prune — the fruit

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