Homonyms 1 (Stein)

Objective

To identify the different meanings of homonyms of various word classes. 

Activity 1

Look at these two words. How many meanings can you think of for each? 

• bank 
• pupil

1. an organization or a building that handles money and provides financial services. 
2. the land on the side of a river or a lake

1. someone who is taught by a teacher
2. the small black part of the eye

Words that have more than one unrelated meanings are called homonyms.

What word class do the words bank and pupil belong to?

Here's a list of more homonyms. Write down two distinct meanings for each one.

1. bat
2. club
3. cricket
4. page
5. palm
6. plane
7. trunk

Are all the meanings you come up with nouns?

Activity 2

As we have seen, homonyms have more than one unrelated meaning. Furthermore, these two meanings can also belong to different word classes.

Discuss with a partner: what does word class mean? Can you give some examples?

Write down the meaning of each words as a noun. Then, identify what other meanings and word classes each one can have. 

1. bark 
2. fly 
3. kind 
4. ring 
5. watch 
6. well

Match each of the nouns from the previous activity to the other word class it belongs to. 

Look again at the list of words: 

1. bark 
2. fly 
3. kind 
4. ring 
5. watch 
6. well

Write two sentences for each word: one using it as a noun, the other as a different word class. 

E.g. The bark on the tree is rough. The dog barked loudly.

This lesson is adapted (with permission) from Words and Meanings: A Systematic Guide for the Teaching of English Vocabulary, by Gabriele Stein.

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