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 · cap · can · lash · track · firm · ground · tear

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bound — obliged
  3. firm — steady
  4. ground — a position
  5. tear — to rip
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. track — a path
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cap — a lid
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. cap — a hat
  14. ground — crushed
  15. cap — of ice
  16. firm — a company
  17. can — a tin
  18. bound — certain
  19. can — a tin
  20. bound — tied together
  21. ground — the earth
  22. track — a song
  23. can — to be able to
  24. lash — to lash out

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