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 · field · staff · cue · track · wind · firm · bore

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. track — to keep track
  3. field — for sport
  4. track — a song
  5. firm — decided
  6. bore — to drill
  7. staff — employees
  8. field — farmland
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. track — a path
  12. wind — moving air
  13. cue — a signal
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. firm — a company
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bound — certain
  19. firm — steady
  20. bound — obliged
  21. cue — a hint
  22. field — a subject
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to tire

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