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: ground · stock · bass · calf · board · temple

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. board — to get on
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. board — a committee
  6. ground — a position
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. stock — shares
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. ground — the earth
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. ground — crushed
  15. bass — the fish
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bass — low music
  18. calf — a young animal

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