RIC-20239 Primary Grammar and Word Study Year 4 – Understanding and choosing words

Understanding and
choosing words
Homographs
Focus
Homographs
Definition
• Homographs are words that are spelt the same but
have different meanings.
Example:
duck – a waterbird with webbed feet
duck – a score of zero in cricket
(Note: There are more than these two meanings.)
Sometimes homographs are pronounced differently.
Example:
lead (rhymes with red) – a heavy metal used to make
pipes etc.
lead (rhymes with seed) – to guide to a specific place
Explanation
• Recognising and using different homographs develops
and enriches students’ vocabulary. They learn to
understand the meaning of words and the way they
work in print.
Worksheet information
• As an introduction, give two quiz questions to the
students to demonstrate two different meanings for the
same word. For example; Question 1: What is the name
for a young goat? Question 2: What is a word that means
to trick or tease someone in a nice way? Ask them to
guess the word and discuss the different meanings.
Students may suggest other meanings for ‘kid’ such as
a colloquial name for a ‘child’.
• Complete Question 1 on the worksheet and discuss the
students’ answers.
• In Question 2, students are given crossword clues for
various homographs. They complete the crossword and
then write each word (in any order) on the lines below.
Students write another meaning alongside each word
provided. Dictionaries could be used. Again, discuss
students’ answers as there are more than two meanings
for many words.
• The word ‘wound’ in Question 3 is an example of a
homograph that has different pronunciations. Discuss
this with the students before they complete the activity.
Discuss their answers.
Ideas for further practice
• Students compile a class homograph dictionary by
brainstorming to list a specific number of words and
arrange them in alphabetical order. A word can be
written at the top of a page with two or more definitions
underneath.
• Students identify homographs that have different
pronunciations and compile a class reference chart.
Suggestions include: tear (rhymes with queer)/tear
(rhymes with bare); wind (rhymes with pinned)/wind
(rhymes with fined); bow (rhymes with flow)/bow
(rhymes with cow).
Answers
1. (a) Possible answer: A sentence that explains a
device with prongs.
(b) Possible answer: A sentence that explains to carry
or support something.
2. (a)
1
M
2
B O L T
3
G U
R S
4
B O X E R
U
5
C O R N
A
D
6
S E A L
F
(b) Possible answers for other meanings than the
homophones in the crossword:
bolt: to dart off suddenly
boxer: a breed of dog
corn: a painful lump that can form on the toes or
foot
seal: to close something so it can only be opened
by breaking the ‘seal’
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mouse: a device attached to a computer for
controlling the curser
ground: the top layer of the surface of the Earth
calf: a part of the lower leg
3. (a) wound (rhymes with tuned): a sore such as a cut
or burn
(b) wound (rhymes with found): past tense of the verb
‘to wind’
Primary grammar and word study 34
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