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: firm · rule · rash · fall · staff · branch · roll · land

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. fall — to drop
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. firm — steady
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. branch — a division
  8. rash — hasty
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. land — to come down
  11. staff — employees
  12. firm — a company
  13. rule — a law
  14. land — ground
  15. firm — decided
  16. land — a country
  17. roll — a cake
  18. roll — a list
  19. staff — employees
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rule — government
  22. rash — a series
  23. staff — a stick
  24. fall — the season

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