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: wake · pass · date · key · hide · chair · scale · leaves

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. pass — a permit
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wake — a trail
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. scale — in music
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. scale — size or range
  11. date — the fruit
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. key — the most important part
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. key — in music
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. key — for a lock
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. chair — to sit on

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