Multiple Meaning Words Speech Therapy Lists and Activities

Are you a speech therapist searching for teaching strategies for multiple meaning words? Targeting multiple meaning words in speech therapy can be essential for our students with language disorders. Understanding of multiple meaning words is an essential skill when considering vocabulary knowledge. This article explores effective methods for teaching multiple-meaning words in speech therapy. Understanding and using words with multiple meanings can be challenging for many individuals, but it becomes much simpler with the right guidance and exercises. In addition, this article will provide a list of multiple meaning words that speech language pathologists can use today in speech therapy sessions. Finally, there are a variety of activities recommended in this blog post for practicing multiple-meaning words.

This is an article with multiple meaning word lists for speech therapy, and multiple meaning words speech therapy activities

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What Are Multiple Meaning Words?

Multiple-meaning words are words that have more than one definition.

An example of a multiple-meaning word is “bat”.

There is more than one meaning of the word ‘bat’.

While you might be talking about the winged mammal, you might also be discussing the equipment with a handle used in baseball.

Or, one might be using the word ‘bat’ as a verb.

Students will learn to use context clues to determine which of the different meanings is correct.

Understanding the correct meaning of a word enhances language skills and assists with communication.

The Different Types of Multiple Meaning Words: Homonyms, Homophones, Heteronyms

Multiple-meaning words can be categorized into 3 types.

These include:

homonyms
homophones
heteronyms

Let’s dig a little bit deeper.

What Are Homonyms?

Homonyms are words that share the same spelling and pronunciation but have different meanings.

So, a quick checklist:

same spelling
same pronunciation
different meanings

An example of a homonym word pair is ‘bark’.

This homonym refers to either the sound a dog makes or the outer layer of a tree.

What Are Homophones?

Homophones are words that sound alike but have different meanings and often different spellings.

Here’s your quick checklist:

different spelling (usually)
sound alike
different meanings

An example of a common set of homophones is “to,” “two,” and “too”.

These words sound alike when you say them.

However, they are spelled differently and they have different meanings.

You might review the following example sentences:

I went to the store.
He ate two slices of pizza.
I ate too much ice cream.

What Are Heteronyms?

Heteronyms are multiple meaning words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations and meanings.

Here’s your checklist:

same spelling
different pronunciation
different meaning

The word ‘lead’ is an example of a heteronym.

You might ‘lead’ someone down the hallway (pronounced “leed”).

However, if you are talking about a type of metal, you pronounce “lead” as “led”.

Check out these multiple meaning words speech therapy activities and word lists! Vocabulary speech therapy activity

Multiple Meaning Words Examples

Need some examples of multiple meaning words to use in speech therapy?

How about a comprehensive list?

Use the list to create your own task cards for a fun way to practice with your students.

Easily incorporate these new words into your lesson plans this week!

Scroll down to see a list of common multiple meaning words (homonyms, homophones, and heteronyms).

List of Homonyms Examples

Remember that homonyms share the same spelling and pronunciation but have different meanings.

Here are some example homonym word pairs:

Bank (financial institution or river edge)
Bat (flying mammal or sports equipment)
Rose (flower or the past tense of “rise”)
Spring (season or coiled metal)
Match (contest or small flame stick)
Pen (writing tool or animal enclosure)
Ring (jewelry or phone sound)
Park (green space or to leave a vehicle)
Fair (just or a carnival)
Bark (tree covering or the sound a dog makes)

List of Homophone Examples

As you might recall, homophones are words that sound alike but have different meanings and often different spellings. Want a longer list? Check out 31 homophones examples with sentences.

There / Their / They’re
To / Too / Two
Hear / Here
Bare / Bear
Flour / Flower
Piece / Peace
Sail / Sale
Brake / Break
Meat / Meet
Hole / Whole

List of Heteronyms Examples

Are you searching for a list of heteronyms to increase vocabulary skills in speech therapy or English language arts?

You’re in the right place.

Heteronyms are multiple-meaning words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations and meanings.

Check out the following word list:

Lead (to guide or metal)
Wind (moving air or to turn)
Tear (rip or eye drop)
Bass (fish or a low sound)
Bow (to bend or the front of ship)
Close (nearby or to shut)
Desert (abandon or an arid region)
Dove (past tense of dive or a bird)
Entrance (to captivate or a way in)
Live (to be alive or a broadcast)

Multiple Meaning Words Speech Therapy Activities

Searching for the perfect digital download to teach word meanings?

Increase student progress using these recommended activities.

Vocabulary Flip Book

Speech-language pathologists looking for a great way to practice multiple-meaning words in speech and language therapy may wish to try these vocabulary binder flips.

Help your students learn new vocabulary with this valuable resource!

This resource is perfect for speech therapy and special education.

Try this activity: Vocabulary Binder Flips– homonyms, synonyms, and antonyms, with easy binder storage and access

This is a vocabulary activity for speech therapy that targets multiple meaning words, including homonyms, antonyms, and synonyms

They address homonyms but also synonyms and antonyms to assist with language development.

Students can work on skills such as creating sentences using each target word or finishing a spoken sentence using a word drop fill-in task containing the correct homonym.

Your student will need to understand the context of the sentence to choose the correct vocabulary word.

Abby M. reviewed, “Love using for vocabulary!”

This flip book is perfect for younger students, such as those in elementary grades, who benefit from pictures and visual cues.

This is a multiple meaning words speech therapy activity for vocabulary. Target homonyms in speech therapy

Homophones Book

Check out “Dear Deer: A Book of Homophones” by Gene Barretta.

There are adorable illustrations that pair with sentences containing a variety of homophones to assist with word learning.

This book would be fun for a group read-aloud, a classroom read-aloud, or even during an individual speech therapy session.

Homonyms Flashcards

Perhaps you’d like some grab-and-go flashcards to use during therapy.

Look at these illustrated homonyms flashcards, which are also available in a bundle.

The vocabulary flashcard bundle includes cards for categories, homonyms, homophones, opposites, tricky past tense verbs, and tricky plural nouns.

Vocabulary Goals for Speech Therapy

SLPs might also wish to see some vocabulary goal ideas for speech therapy.

This article provides some examples and ideas for goal writing in speech therapy.

It includes 30 vocabulary goals that SLPs may reference that are based on research.

Of course, speech-language pathologists can modify goals to better suit a child’s individual needs.

Here are Multiple Meaning Words Speech Therapy Lists and Activities

What Are Multiple Meaning Words?