Recognising that one word can have several different meanings (bark, bank, light) and choosing the meaning that fits a particular sentence.
Where your child meets this in real life: Understanding jokes and word play, reading accurately, and answering 'which meaning is used here?' questions in the SEAG exam
SEAGReady breaks homonyms and multiple meanings into 2 steps, taught in order so each skill builds on the last.
Recognise that some words have several unrelated meanings and state the meaning used in each of two contrasting sentences
Choose which of several given meanings of a word is the one used in a particular sentence
Three free sample questions from our homonyms and multiple meanings course. Every question comes with a full explanation, and hints that guide without giving the answer away.
Read both sentences: 1) 'A huge wave crashed onto the rocks at Ballycastle.' 2) 'Give Granny a wave as the bus pulls away.' What does 'wave' mean in sentence 2?
Answer: A. a movement of the hand to say hello or goodbye
'Wave' is a homonym - one word with more than one meaning. - In sentence 1 it means a wall of moving sea water. - In sentence 2 it means a movement of the hand to say hello or goodbye - you wave at Granny as the bus leaves. The rest of the sentence tells you which meaning is being used.
Stuck? Start here: Read sentence 2 again and picture the scene: a bus is leaving and Granny is watching.
'Mum asked Jack to set the table before dinner.' Which meaning of 'set' is used in this sentence?
Answer: D. to lay out ready for use
All four options are real meanings of 'set', so use the sentence to choose: - The clues 'the table' and 'before dinner' show Jack is getting the table ready with plates and cutlery. - Substitute it: 'Mum asked Jack to lay out the table ready for use' - makes perfect sense. In this sentence 'set' means to lay out ready for use.
Stuck? Start here: Look at the clue words around 'set': 'the table' and 'before dinner'.
Read both sentences: 1) 'Turn on the light, please - it is getting dark.' 2) 'The suitcase was light enough for Beth to carry by herself.' What does 'light' mean in sentence 2?
Answer: B. not heavy
'Light' is a homonym with several meanings. - In sentence 1 it means a lamp that brightens a room. - In sentence 2, Beth can carry the suitcase by herself, so 'light' means NOT HEAVY. Same spelling, same sound - two completely different meanings. The sentence around the word tells you which one is meant.
Stuck? Start here: Read sentence 2 carefully: what is it telling you about the suitcase?
This is the exact interactive worked example your child sees in SEAGReady. Step through it and watch the method build up.
Cormac reads these two sentences in his homework book: 1) 'The farm dog began to bark as the tractor came up the lane.' 2) 'The bark of the old oak tree at Lough Neagh was rough and cracked.'
The word 'bark' appears in both sentences. Does it mean the same thing each time? Explain what it means in each sentence.
Step 1 of 5
Cormac reads these two sentences in his homework book: 1) 'The farm dog began to bark as the tractor came up the lane.' 2) 'The bark of the old oak tree at Lough Neagh was rough and cracked.'
The word 'bark' appears in both sentences. Does it mean the same thing each time? Explain what it means in each sentence.
In sentence 1 'bark' is the sound a dog makes; in sentence 2 it is the outer covering of a tree. 'Bark' is a homonym - one word with more than one meaning.
The key insight: Some words are like twins with the same name - identical to look at, but completely different! The sentence around the word tells you which twin you are meeting.
Watch out: Thinking 'bark' can only mean a dog's sound, so sentence 2 is about a noisy tree. Many everyday words have more than one meaning. If the meaning you know does not make sense in the sentence, the word probably has another meaning.
These are the misconceptions we see most often in homonyms and multiple meanings, including the ones our practice questions are specifically designed to catch.
Struggling with homonyms and multiple meanings? The real gap is often in one of these earlier topics.
SEAGReady finds the exact step where your child gets stuck, teaches it with worked examples like the one above, and brings it back for review so it sticks.
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