One Word, Many Meanings: Multiple Meaning Words Worksheet for Class 4

This Grade 4 worksheet on Multiple Meaning Words takes young learners on a fascinating exploration of how a single word in the English language can carry more than one meaning depending on the context it is used in. Designed for Class 4 students, this worksheet focuses on a key vocabulary concept — understanding that words like bat, bank, bark, wave, fair, light, fly, rose, park, and can each have at least two completely different meanings, and that the correct meaning is always determined by the context of the sentence.

Why Multiple Meaning Words Matter in Grammar?

Understanding multiple meaning words is a critical skill for Grade 4 learners because:
1. It sharpens reading comprehension by helping students interpret words correctly in context.
2. It builds vocabulary depth — going beyond just knowing a word to truly understanding how it works.
3. It improves writing quality by helping students choose the most precise word for their intended meaning.
4. It prepares students for more complex language use in higher grades, including idioms, figurative language, and nuanced expression.

What's Inside This Worksheet?

This worksheet includes five well-designed activities that develop multiple meaning word skills in a fun and engaging way:

Exercise 1 – Match the Following
Students match each multiple meaning word (e.g., bat, bank, bark, wave) to one of its correct meanings from the list (e.g., club, shore, yap, greet). This activity helps learners understand that a single word can have more than one identity depending on context.

Exercise 2 – Sort the Words
Students sort given word pairs (e.g., fly/insect, cat/dog) into two categories — Similar Meanings (pairs that share a meaning, like rose/flower and bank/shore) and Dissimilar Meanings (pairs that are unrelated, like cat/dog and table/chair). This sorting task builds critical vocabulary awareness.

Exercise 3 – Fill in the Blanks
Students choose the correct multiple meaning word from a pair of options to complete sentences meaningfully. For example: ""She saved her coins in a piggy __________."" (shore / bank). This contextual exercise trains students to use surrounding clues to determine the correct meaning of a word.

Exercise 4 – Multiple Choice Questions
Students read a sentence and identify which meaning of the highlighted word is being used in that specific context, choosing from four options. For example: ""The bat flew out at dusk. Bat means: a) a stick b) river edge c) an animal d) a tin."" This activity builds precision in meaning identification.

Exercise 5 – Sentence Rewriting
Students rewrite sentences in which the wrong multiple meaning word has been used, replacing it with the correct word that fits the context. For example: ""He swung the shore to hit the ball far."" must be corrected to ""He swung the bat to hit the ball far."" This activity develops editing skills and a deeper understanding of contextual word use.

Answer Key (For Parents & Educators)

Exercise 1 – Match the Following
bat → club              
bark → yap              
light → bright          
fly → insect            
rose → flower           
bank → shore
wave → greet
fair → just
park → garden
can → tin

Exercise 2 – Sort the Words
Similar Meanings:
wave/greet
bank/shore
bark/yap
fair/just
light/bright
fly/insect
park/garden
rose/flower
can/tin
bat/club

Dissimilar Meanings:
rain/snow
cat/dog
sun/moon
table/chair
train/bus

Exercise 3 – Fill in the Blanks
1. bank
2. bat
3. bark
4. wave
5. light
6. fair
7. fly
8. park
9. rose
10. can

Exercise 4 – Multiple Choice Questions
1. c) get something indirectly
2. a) river edge
3. c) visit
4. b) not heavy
5. c) just/equal
6. a) leave a car
7. b) a flower
8. d) a metal box
9. a) loud cry
10. c) an insect

Exercise 5 – Sentence Rewriting
1. He swung the shore to hit the ball far. → He swung the bat to hit the ball far.
2. She saved money in a flower jar at home. → She saved money in a can/tin jar at home. / She saved money in a bank at home.
3. The cat barked a wave at the stray dog. → The cat gave a wave at the stray dog. / The dog barked at the stray cat.
4. He canned a bright lamp into the dark room. → He lit a bright lamp in the dark room.
5. It is bark that everyone gets equal prizes. → It is fair that everyone gets equal prizes.
6. The insect flapped its wings and rose up. → The fly flapped its wings and rose up.
7. They waved the bat in celebration at the gate. → They waved the flag in celebration at the gate. / They swung the bat in celebration at the gate.
8. She banked the tin on the shelf carefully. → She placed the can on the shelf carefully.
9. He lit the fair with a candle during the night. → He lit the lamp with a candle during the night.
10. They parked their rose at the garden entrance. → They parked their car at the garden entrance.

Help your child unlock the power of context and vocabulary with a Free 1:1 English Language Trial Class on Multiple Meaning Words at PlanetSpark!

Book a free trial!