Multiple Meaning Words

Understanding what you read

 What does multiple mean?
Multiple
Meaning: More
than one, many
 What does multiple mean?
Multiple
Meaning: More
than one, many
Related words
multiply
multiplication
multi-colored
 What does multiple mean?
Multiple
Meaning: More
than one, many
Related words Opposites
multiply single
multiplication only
multi-colored solo
 What does multiple mean?
Multiple Multiple meaning
Meaning: More words have more
than one, many than one meaning!
Related words Opposites
multiply single
multiplication only
multi-colored solo
Why learn about these words?
Many English words have multiple
meanings. Knowing these different
meanings can help us to understand
what we read.
 Think about the word fly
What different meanings does it have?
 Think about the word fly
What different meanings does it have?

-to move through the air

 Think about the word fly
What different meanings does it have?

-to move through the air

-a kind of insect
 Which meaning?

1. To move
through the We watched the
air leaves fly through
2. A kind of the air.
insect
 Which meaning?

1. To move
through the We watched the
air leaves fly through
2. A kind of the air.
insect
 Which meaning?

1. To move
through the We watched the
air leaves fly through
2. A kind of the air.
insect
How do you know
which meaning
matches?
 Using context
We can use context, or the words
around a multiple meaning word, to
figure out its meaning.
Which meaning?

The turtles crawled up on the

bank of the river.

1.The edge of a waterway

2.A place to keep money
3.To keep money in a bank
Which meaning?

The turtles crawled up on the

bank of the river.
Which meaning
fits the context
1.The edge of a waterway of the
2.A place to keep money sentence?
3.To keep money in a bank
Which meaning?

The turtles crawled up on the

bank of the river.
A river is a kind
of waterway
1.The edge of a waterway
2.A place to keep money
3.To keep money in a bank
Which meaning?

The turtles crawled up on the

bank of the river.
This meaning
matches the
1.The edge of a waterway context
2.A place to keep money
3.To keep money in a bank
 Which meaning
of project?

The student created a colorful art

project.

1. To throw forward
2. To cause an image to appear
3. A school assignment
 Which meaning
of project?

The student created a colorful art

project.

1. To throw forward
2. To cause an image to appear
3. A school assignment
 Which meaning
of project?

The student created a colorful art

project.
How did you
1. To throw forward know which
meaning
2. To cause an image to appear matched the
3. A school assignment sentence??
 Which meaning of play?
The children
performed a play
in a pavilion at
the park.

1. To do something fun and

amusing
2. To participate in a game
3. A show or performance
 Which meaning of play?
The children
performed a play
in a pavilion at
the park.

1. To do something fun and

What context can
amusing help you to figure
2. To participate in a game this out?
3. A show or performance
 Which meaning of play?
The children
performed a play
in a pavilion at
the park.

1. To do something fun and

Why is the picture
amusing misleading?
2. To participate in a game
3. A show or performance
 Learning new meanings
Often, you’ll have to figure out new
meanings for words.

What does the word spring mean?

 Learning new meanings
Does your meaning for spring match
the way it is used in the sentence
below?

I went to the spring to get a bucket of

fresh water.
 Learning new meanings
Does your meaning for spring match
the way it is used in the sentence
below?

I went to the spring to get a bucket of

fresh water.
Do you know the
meaning of spring
that’s used in this
sentence?
 Learning new meanings
I went to the spring to get a bucket of
fresh water.

1.To rise or leap into the air

2.A place where water wells up from the
ground
3.A coiled piece of metal
4.A season between winter and summer
 Learning new meanings
I went to the spring to get a bucket of
fresh water.

• To rise or leap into the air

• A place where water wells up from the
ground
• A coiled piece of metal
• A season between winter and summer
 Learning new meanings
I went to the spring to get a bucket of
fresh water.

A place where water wells up from the

ground

How is this meaning similar to or

different from the meaning that you first
thought of for spring?
 Learning new meanings
I went to the spring to get a bucket of
fresh water.

A place where water wells up from the

ground

How did the context of the sentence

change your thinking?
 Learning new meanings
I went to the spring to get a bucket of
fresh water.

This picture shows a

springhouse. People
used to build these
around springs to
help keep them clean.
They used the
springhouse as a
source of water.
 Learning new meanings
Often, the different meanings of words
are all related. You just need to think
about how they can fit together.

Think about the

word chilly. What
does it mean?
 Learning new meanings
The tourists weren’t happy with the
chilly welcome that they received from
the hotel clerk.

In this sentence,
chilly doesn’t really
mean cold. What
could it mean? Why?
 Learning new meanings
The tourists weren’t happy with the
chilly welcome that they received from
the hotel clerk.

As it’s used in this

sentence, chilly
means unfriendly.
How does this relate
to the other meaning
of chilly?
 Learning New Meanings
Think about what happens when a
rocket is launched. Explain what
launch means.

To launch a rocket means to send it

up into the air. What else can you
launch?
 Learning New Meanings
The school newspaper was launched
last week.

Uh-oh! Was the school newspaper

thrown into the air?
 Learning New Meanings
The school newspaper was launched
last week.
Launch: To send into the air

Launch: To start something new

This is a different meaning for

launch. The school newspaper was
started last week.
 Learning New Meanings
The school newspaper was launched
last week.
Launch: To send into the air

Launch: To start something new

How are these two meanings related?

 Practice and Review
What is a multiple meaning word?

A multiple
meaning word
has more than
one meaning.
 Practice and Review
Which sentence uses run in the same
way as the sentence below?
The creek runs through the park.

• The children run at gym class.

• The ink runs when it gets wet.
• The road runs across town.
 Practice and Review
Which sentence uses run in the same
way as the sentence below?
The creek runs through the park.

• The children run at gym class.

• The ink runs when it gets wet.
• The road runs across town.
 Practice and Review
Which sentence uses the word field as it is
used in the sentence below?

The scientist was an expert

in the field of wildflowers.

A. The school field was covered in yellow

goldenrod.
B.The baseball players spent the end of the
inning in the field.
C.The field of astronomy can be fascinating to
study.
 Practice and Review
Which sentence uses the word field as it is
used in the sentence below?

The scientist was an expert

in the field of wildflowers.

• The school field was covered in yellow

goldenrod.
• The baseball players spent the end of the
inning in the field.
• The field of astronomy can be fascinating to
study.
 Practice and Review
Which sentence uses the word field as it is
used in the sentence below?

The scientist was an expert

in the field of wildflowers.

The field of astronomy can be fascinating to

study.

In both of these sentences, field means an

area of study. How can the context help you
figure this out?
 Practice and Review
Which sentence uses the word palm as it is
used in the sentence below?

The students hiked through

the forest of palms.

A. The greenhouse contained several palms.

B.The burglar palmed the jewels.
C.The preschoolers had paint all over their
palms.
 Practice and Review
Which sentence uses the word palm as it is
used in the sentence below?

The students hiked through

the forest of palms.

• The greenhouse contained several palms.

• The burglar palmed the jewels.
• The preschoolers had paint all over their
palms.
 Practice and Review
Which sentence uses the word palm as it is
used in the sentence below?

The students hiked through

the forest of palms.

The greenhouse contained several palms.

In both of these sentences, a palm is a kind

of tree. What context helped you to figure
this out?
 Time to Reflect
What have you learned about multiple
meaning words?
Emily Kissner