ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

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: wound · pit · stand · rush · net · land · press · ground

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. ground — crushed
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. ground — the earth
  5. land — a country
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. press — newspapers
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — for catching
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. net — in sport
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pit — a hole
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ground — a position
  16. land — ground
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. land — to come down
  19. pit — in a race
  20. press — to push
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rush — hurry
  24. press — a publisher

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