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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: lean · saw · season · mug · can · game · key · hand

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. can — to be able to
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. can — a tin
  7. hand — help
  8. game — a match
  9. key — for a lock
  10. can — a tin
  11. saw — the tool
  12. lean — thin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mug — a cup
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — of the year
  17. mug — a face
  18. lean — to bend
  19. key — in music
  20. hand — in cards
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. game — wild animals
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mug — to rob

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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