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Multiple Meaning Words

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Subject: ELA (English Language Arts), ESL/ELL (English Language Learning)

Lesson Length: 30 - 45 mins

Topic: Multiple-Meaning Words

Grade Level: 3, 4, 5

Standards / Framework:

Brief Description: Students will learn about and practice multiple-meaning words in comic book style.

Know Before You Start: This lesson can serve as an introduction or review of multiple-meaning words.

Hook: Read and discuss the first two panels of the sample comic. Explain that the word wave can mean more than one thing.

  • What does the word wave mean in each sentence?
  • Can they think of any other words that have multiple meanings?

Activity:

  • Read through the comic in order to figure out the meanings of multiple-meaning words. This can be done on paper independently, with a partner, or as a whole class. 

  • Extension: Using the sample comic as a guide, have students create their own multiple-meaning word comics. The funnier the multiple-meaning, the better.

Closure:

  • Discuss the importance of understanding words with more than one meaning. 

  • Ask students to look out for multiple-meaning words while they are independently reading. 

  • Throughout the week, introduce one to two words a day that have multiple meanings to reinforce what they’ve learned.

Differentiation: Adapt this lesson by using more complex or simple sentences as needed.

Resources:

  • Comic to print or display: Comic.

Suggested Content Pack(s):

Related Ideas

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