Students will study terms with different meanings in this lesson. At the end of the lesson, students are able to:
- Recognize that a term with many meanings has at least two definitions.
- Determine the proper definition of a word with many meanings using context clues.
- Explain terms with many meanings using writing or drawings.

- What meaning do literary and informational texts have for strategic readers?
- With what methods and tools does the student approach the task of deciphering unfamiliar vocabulary?
- What is the purpose of learning new words?
- What kind of responses and thought processes are elicited by text interaction?

- Multiple-meaning Words: Words that have more than one meaning.
- Context Clues: Information from the text that helps a reader identify a word and understand its meaning.

- Alda, A. (2011). Did you say pears? Tundra Books.
Alternate: 
- Loewen, N. (2007). If You Were a Homonym Or a Homophone. Picture Window Books.
- Ghigna, C. (1999). See the Yak Yak. Random House Books for Young Readers.
- Fowler, J. A. (2010). What’s the point?: ( a Book about Multiple Meaning Words). AuthorHouse.
- Parish, H. (2009). Amelia Bedelia’s first day of school. Greenwillow Books.
- Parish, H. (1995). Good driving, Amelia Bedelia. Greenwillow Books.
Teachers may substitute other books to provide a range of reading and level of text complexity.
- Precut copies of Homonym Picture Cards (L-K-4-3_Homonym Picture Cards)
- Copies of Multiple-meaning Words graphic organizer (L-K-4-3_Multiple-meaning Words)
- Copies of Multiple-meaning Word Sentences (L-K-4-3_Multiple-meaning Word Sentences)

This lesson's main goal is to help students understand terms with various meanings by providing background information, examples, and/or images. To gauge each student's comprehension, do the following exercises:
- Assess students' ability to determine a word's right meaning when it has numerous meanings inside a narrative.
- Ask the student to list two techniques that aid readers in deciphering a word with numerous meanings. (pictures and context cues)
- Ask students what happens when they select a definition for a word with numerous meanings that aren't appropriate for the situation. (The story becomes illogical, confusing the reader.)

Explicit instruction, modeling, scaffolding, and active engagement
W: Utilizing illustrations and teaching homonyms—words that have the same sound and spelling but distinct meanings—introduce the idea of multiple meanings. Help kids understand how context can reveal meaning. 
H: Assist pupils with a photo-matching exercise using homophones. 
E: Have students identify words having multiple meanings by reading Did You Say Pears? by Arlene Alda or another similar book. 
R: Once the concept has been taught, progressively give students more responsibility to choose a word with several meanings and utilize context to decide which definition best suits the text. 
E: By applying techniques and expressing their opinions, students will take part in discussions in small or large groups. 
T: Make use of text, conversation, and peer interactions to give students at all skill levels access to the techniques for deciphering words with various meanings. 
O: After a subject is modeled, students contribute and explain it, and the course concludes with them individually showcasing their comprehension of the material. 

Main Question: What is the process by which we determine which of a word's many meanings is being used in a sentence?

The Homonym Picture Cards (L-K-4-3_Homonym Picture Cards) should be printed and cut out before this lesson. Consider giving advanced students more difficult matches and differentiating the visuals. Give each student a single photo. Let them be with the person whose word is the same as yours in the other picture. To improve students' learning experiences, you should encourage them to think critically about terms that seem similar but have distinct meanings. By matching two images and outlining the steps, you can serve as an example for them. As an illustration, display a photo of a baseball bat and an animal bat. Elucidate the differences in meaning between the same words.

You allow students two minutes to locate the individual whose image contains the same word as theirs. This exercise is a NO-TALK zone. Just place their photo in front of them and search for the image that corresponds with it. Once they've located the individual whose picture matches theirs, choose a spot to wait next to them. Now, let's get started. Assist students who still haven't found a mate after the two-minute mark. Next, arrange the partners into a group and let the students present and share their homonym pairs. Raise a question: "What vocabulary-related lessons did this activity teach you?" (A term is capable of multiple meanings.)

Part 1

In our picture-matching exercise, we discovered that a word can have multiple meanings. These are referred to as multivocal words. For instance, the word "bat" can refer to both an animal that flies at night and a wooden object that is swung to hit a ball. Another illustration is the term "point," which can refer to both pointing with your finger or the tip of a pencil (show pupils). After the above explanation, teachers permit pupils to present other instances.

Teachers keep going: "If a word has multiple meanings, how can we know which meaning to use when reading it in a text?" (Possible responses: by the narrative, by the words surrounding it.) Next, teachers can suggest: "Let's read Arlene Alda's book Did You Say Pears? to learn more words with multiple meanings."

Use the images to enhance your pupils' comprehension of the words with many meanings when you read pages 4–17 aloud to them. For instance, after reading pages 4 and 5, you are surprised: "Oh, this has two different kinds of horns." This particular species uses its horns as a kind of defense. The musical instruments known as horns are also included on this page. Let the pupils take part. For instance, present pages 8 and 9 and inquire, "Which word appears in both pictures?" (nails) and "What are the two meanings of this word?" (an object to tap and a substance on the tips of the fingers)

Make a chart of the book's multiple-meaning terms when you've finished reading it. Distribute copies of L-K-4-3_Multiple-meaning Words, the graphic organizer. Teachers indicate that each student will complete this graphic organizer with a word that has more than one meaning. Watch as teachers walk them through the steps. Give pupils an example of how to complete the graphic organizer: In the upper box marked "Multiple-meaning Word," type the word "bank." For meaning 1, illustrate a structure with a dollar sign or give a definition, like "a place to keep money." For meaning 2, sketch the edge of a river and indicate its location with an arrow. You may also write a definition, like "land beside a river."

Teachers out loud: "It's your turn now." Select a term from the chart and enter it in your graphic organizer's top box. Next, illustrate or write the word's definition in the box on the left. Fill in the box on the right with a second meaning for the word.

Make sure the pupils grasp the idea of words with different meanings by moving about the room while they are working. One option is to gather papers and utilize them for formative evaluation.

Part 2

Moving to part 2, teachers instruct: "Now that we are familiar with words that have multiple meanings, we will practice selecting the correct meaning of the word when we read. We will use the pictures and context clues to determine the proper meaning."

Query: "What are context cues?" (textual details that assist a reader in recognizing and comprehending a term)

Pupils might be familiar with the character Amelia Bedelia, who frequently gets into problems due to her misinterpretation of words. It should be noted that words with literal and figurative meanings as well as homophones—differences in words that sound the same but have distinct meanings—are included in Amelia Bedelia's books. For this lesson, concentrate on the homonymous instances listed below.

"Let's read an excerpt from Herman Parish's Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School," you say. "We'll see as we read how misinterpreting a word with numerous meanings might get us into trouble."

Read Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School aloud on pages 4 and 5. Find out what word has numerous meanings. The teacher says, "You're my last tag." What does that mean? (She is down to one name tag.) and "How do you find out?" Ask pupils to turn to a partner and explain two ways they are aware of the teacher's use of the term "tag." Encourage pupils to present their understanding to the class. The photo displays the instructor holding Amelia's name badge. The message reads, "I have a name tag for you." Next, inquire, "What does Amelia think the teacher means?" (Her teacher suggests that they play tag.) Pupils should be asked to describe how they know. (Amelia can be seen pacing the classroom in the photo). "You can't catch me", Amelia says. "We aren't playing tag," the teacher explains.

To find out which meaning the author meant for us to select for the multiple-meaning word tag, ask, "What strategies did you use?" (pictures and context cues) Subsequently, inquire, "What transpired with Amelia as a result of her selection of the incorrect definition for the circumstances?" (She was unsure about what to do. It was a mistake on her part.

Read the following passages from Amelia Bedelia's book Good Driving for more guidance and practice:

pages 12–13: steer (a vehicle) or steer (a cow)
pages 14–15: horn (a smooth, hard portion protruding from a cow's head)/horn (a warning honking device on an automobile)
pages 20–21: fork (a location where a road divides)/fork (a dining utensil)
pages 22–23: right (left's opposite)/right (correct)

Employ a similar process where students must first identify the word with multiple meanings, then explain those meanings and explain how they used the text to do so.

Part 3

Use an interactive whiteboard or overhead projector to display a copy of Multiple-meaning Word Sentences (L-K-4-3_Multiple-meaning Word Sentences). exemplify the task. Teachers say, "I'm going to put the word rock in each box." Display. What does the word "rock" mean, for example? (A gem) Sketch the image of a stone in a single box. What is the meaning of the term "rock" in another language? (to rock on a chair back and forth) Fill in the other box with a drawing of a rocking chair. Say, "With each word, I will now write a sentence." Below the images, write two phrases (I gather rocks, for example). Mom will lull the infant to sleep. After reading the passages aloud to the class, ask them to identify the definition of "rock" that is utilized in each line and explain how.

Make a list of terms that have more than one meaning, or show the homophone picture cards that were used earlier in the class. Give each pupil a copy of the worksheet. Inform them that they will select a term with several meanings and fill in the worksheet with sentences and images.

Give kids enough time to finish their sentences and illustrations. Walk around the room while they're working and offer assistance if needed. For you to write, some students might recite their sentences. Students should discuss their work with a companion. The completed worksheets can be used to gauge your pupils' comprehension.

Extension:

Use the Homonym Picture Cards in pairs for pupils who require more assistance. Students should utilize each word in a sentence to convey its meaning and explain the two meanings of the terms with multiple meanings.
Read Nancy Loewen's book (If You Were a Homonym or a Homophone) on pages 4–9 with your small groups of students. Ask pupils to illustrate both definitions with drawings and to explain each term with two meanings.
Pupils who are prepared to go beyond the requirements can use words with more than one meaning to construct a story. The narrative may employ ludicrous language, a la Amelia Bedelia stories, or it may skillfully employ words with various meanings.
Students should construct a phrase using a word that has more than one meaning, then demonstrate the incorrect meaning using a cartoon. A baseball bat might be seen flying out of a cave in the image, for instance, if the text reads, "The bat flew out of the cave." Students should share their work and listen to others critique it.