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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 120 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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Word bank
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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: capital · sharp · firm · staff · suit · ground · nail · vault

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. ground — a position
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. ground — the earth
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. suit — in cards
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. staff — employees
  11. firm — steady
  12. staff — a stick
  13. capital — money
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. ground — crushed
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. suit — clothes
  20. sharp — clever
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. suit — to fit
  24. capital — a city

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