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: stock · ground · fine · temple · bass · mark · pass · date

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bass — low music
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. mark — a trace
  7. ground — crushed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. mark — a grade
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — high quality
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. stock — goods
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — the fish
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fine — all right
  22. ground — a position
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stock — shares

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