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 120 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 · club · staff · land · foot · track · board · tube

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. track — a song
  3. bound — tied together
  4. staff — employees
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. club — a group
  7. bound — certain
  8. staff — employees
  9. land — to come down
  10. board — a committee
  11. land — ground
  12. foot — a measure
  13. staff — a stick
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. club — for golf
  17. tube — a container
  18. land — a country
  19. tube — the underground
  20. club — for dancing
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. track — to keep track
  23. board — to get on
  24. track — a path

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