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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: sharp · prune · rush · calf · ruler · game · snap · cap

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. game — a match
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. cap — a hat
  9. snap — to click
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. rush — hurry
  13. game — wild animals
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. sharp — clever
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. prune — to trim
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. cap — of ice
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cap — a lid

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