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: bound · march · lie · tube · cap · spell · firm · pass

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — a short time
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. firm — steady
  5. march — the month
  6. firm — a company
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bound — tied together
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. tube — a container
  14. bound — certain
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. march — music
  17. bound — obliged
  18. spell — magic
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. tube — the underground
  21. firm — decided
  22. march — the month
  23. lie — to recline
  24. cap — a hat

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