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: rule · land · safe · present · branch · racket · staff · patient

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rule — government
  3. staff — employees
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. branch — a division
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. land — ground
  9. present — a gift
  10. land — a country
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. present — the time now
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. land — to come down
  20. staff — a stick
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. present — there
  23. rule — a law
  24. branch — of a tree

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