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: track · press · wound · ground · club · sharp · stand · arm

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. track — a song
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. ground — a position
  9. wound — an injury
  10. ground — the earth
  11. track — to keep track
  12. wound — an injury
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. press — a publisher
  17. ground — crushed
  18. stand — to bear
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. track — a path
  24. club — for dancing

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