English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 minutes
Words with more than one meaning
Vocabulary
CCSS L.3.4CCSS L.4.4England: Y3 VocabularyEngland: 11+ English (multiple meanings)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Words with more than one meaning.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Using context clues
Leads to: Homographs: same spelling, different meaning (wind, tear, bow); Multiple-meaning words: 'most nearly means' in context
Materials: Word cards, A thesaurus or dictionary, A short text with the target words, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Using context clues). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Use the clues in the sentence. What does the word in brackets mean? After the long hike, Jo was weary and wanted to lie down. (weary) (lucky / excited / tired / lost) → tiredPrompt: Look at the other words in the sentence. What do they tell you?
- Use context clues. What does the word in brackets most likely mean? The plant thrived in the sunny window, growing three new leaves a week. (thrived) (was moved / wilted / was eaten / grew well) → grew wellPrompt: Look for signal words: unlike, despite, so…that, a colon or dash that explains.
- Use the clues in the sentence. What does the word in brackets mean? The puppy was so famished that it ate two bowls of food in a minute. (famished) (very sleepy / very dirty / very small / very hungry) → very hungryPrompt: Look at the other words in the sentence. What do they tell you?
Hook · 5 min
- Show an interesting word in a sentence and ask what it might mean from the clues around it.
- Share the objective: Words with more than one meaning. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: What does the word in brackets mean in THIS sentence? The kite flew high in the light breeze. (light)
- Step 1: The rest of the sentence tells us which meaning a multiple-meaning word has.
- Step 2: So the answer is: gentle, not strong
- Answer: gentle, not strong
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- What does the word in brackets mean in THIS sentence? The bat flew out of the cave at dusk. (bat) (to hit something / a flying animal / to blink / a stick for hitting a ball) → a flying animalPrompt: Many words have more than one meaning.
- What does the word in brackets mean in THIS sentence? Please wave to Grandma from the window. (wave) (a curl in hair / move your hand to say hello / a moving ridge of water / a sudden feeling) → move your hand to say helloPrompt: Many words have more than one meaning.
You do: independent practice · 10 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- What does the word in brackets mean in THIS sentence? Please wave to Grandma from the window. (wave) (a sudden feeling / move your hand to say hello / a curl in hair / a moving ridge of water) → move your hand to say helloPrompt: Many words have more than one meaning.
- What does the word in brackets mean in THIS sentence? The bark of the oak tree was rough. (bark) (a kind of boat / the outer layer of a tree / to shout / the sound a dog makes) → the outer layer of a treePrompt: Many words have more than one meaning.
Watch out for
- Picking a "bigger" synonym that doesn't fit the meaning.
- Ignoring the clues in the rest of the sentence.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Using context clues.
- Use concrete materials: word cards.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Homographs: same spelling, different meaning (wind, tear, bow); Multiple-meaning words: 'most nearly means' in context.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-3.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder