Free Language Stuff

Multiple Meaning Word Lists in Developmental Order

Functional – bat, bowl, can, face, fall, fit, foot, hand, hit, light, mean, park,pet, pitcher, play, punch, ring, rock, roll, run, saw, star, stick, top, trip

Early Elementary – back, bank, bark, bend, block, board, bomb, border, box, bright, brush, cap, capital, change, character, check, checker, clear, count, cover, cycle, degree, direction, draw, drill, even, fall, fire, freeze, force, head, inch, iron, key, kind, letter, lie, line, match, mind, model, motion, mouse, odd, order, past, period, place, point, pole, power, present, property, right, rose, ruler, safe, scale, seal, season, second, shake, ship, side, solid, solution, space, spring, stamp, staple, state, story, stuff, table, tense, track, turn, watch, wave, work

Late Elementary – act, angle, atmosphere, bitter, cast, charge, country, court, credit, current, depression, draft, due, edge, film, flood, friction, front, fuse, gum, interest, judge, negative, lean, matter, motion, organ, party, plane, plot, produce, product, raise, rate, reason, report, school, screen, sense, settle, shock, spell, source, staff, stand, staple, state, tip, wage, volume

Secondary – base, bass, chance, channel, coast, constitution, content, crop, division, formula, gravity, interest, issue, lounge, market, tissue, operation, pitch, process, program, view, value, volume, waste

Worksheets and Activities

Previews – Click on picture to view a small preview of each activity.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)  (7)  (8)  (9)  (10)  (11) 

Documents – Click on Doc or PDF to download worksheets in preferred format.

(1) Word Search – Early Elementary  Doc PDF;       (2) Word Dice six sided basic Doc PDF;       (3) Word Dice six sided basic 2 Doc PDF;       (4) Word Dice – six and eight sided – template Doc PDF;       (5) Multiple Meaning Word Description Grid  Doc PDF;      (6) Matching Cards 1 Doc;        (7) Matching Cards 2 Doc;      (8)Multiple Meaning Pictures Doc;       (9) Zig Zag Activity 1 Doc;       (10) Zig Zag Activity 2 Doc;       (11)Extra Activities Doc 

Background Information

These are words that have different meanings depending upon their usage in a sentence. Excessive time in understanding multiple meaning words can provide a delay in understanding that disrupts either reading fluency or oral language comprehension. Much of semantic ambiguity involves multiple meaning words.

Many standardized tests assess words with multiple meanings in their vocabulary sections. Language used by textbooks and teachers are rife with ambiguity, as is much of the humor used in social language (Spector, 2007). Familiar, frequently used words tend to have more meanings than less frequent words. For example, one study found that 72% of the most frequently occurring 9,000 words contained multiple meanings (Johnson and Pearson, 1984). Other research has demonstrated the significance of context in acquiring and testing multiple meaning words. Many factors contribute to the difficulty understanding these words, including context, a child’s previous experience with the words in that context, and the degree of meaning overlap between the words’ meanings (Johnson et al., 1997).

Practice with multiple meaning words accomplishes several things:

1) encourages metalinguistic skills, such as thinking about why certain words have certain labels

2) kills two birds with one stone – learn two words for the price of one

3) prepares for common sections of standardized vocabulary tests

4) provides bridge for working with context

Sometimes words that can be used as verbs or nouns are called multiple meaning words (for example, open, dance, and layer). These words aren’t typically confused for one another. When hearing “The door was opened.” a listener doesn’t typically confuse the possible noun or verb meanings of “opened.” Assessments with multiple meaning words include the LPT, OWLS, and TOLD-I.

Goal Suggestions

Eugene will identify another meaning of functional multiple meaning words when given one meaning.

Charlotte will identify two meanings of age appropriate multiple meaning words.

Dayton will provide one definition of age appropriate multiple meaning words when given another definition.

Pierre will provide two definitions of age appropriate multiple meaning words.

Multiple Meaning Drill Ideas