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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: cell · safe · wound · wave · patient · court

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. cell — a phone
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wound — an injury
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cell — in biology
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. court — of law
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wound — an injury
  16. court — of a king
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. court — for sport

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