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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.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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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: patient · race · stand · hide · bat · suit · safe · stem

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. race — a contest
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. suit — clothes
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stand — to bear
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bat — the animal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. stem — to come from
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — the arms race
  24. stand — on your feet

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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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