Multiple meaning words, or homographs, are spelled the same but have different meanings based on the way the word is used in a sentence. When students are learning multiple meaning words, allow them to write two sentences in which the word is used in two different contexts and for each draw a picture as a visual illustration of the different ways the word can be used. For example, for the word bat, students can write, "I saw a bat at the zoo" and "I have a bat and ball."
Teach first-grade students that compound words are two words joined to form one word. Have students identify compound words as a group and individually. For group practice, pass out index cards with half of a compound word written on one card and the other half written another. For example, the compound word "rainbow" would have "rain" written on one card and "bow" written on another. Challenge students to find the person who has the other half of their word to form the whole compound word. For individual practice, give students their own books made from construction paper with which to create a compound word dictionary. They should think of a list of their own compound words and then draw two pictures to illustrate both formative words and one to illustrate the compound word.
Most contractions are classified under some type of family of words. For example, the word "I'll" comes from the word family "will," and "isn't" comes from the family of "not" contractions. For independent practice, give students three or four circles made from construction paper with two triangles attached underneath each circle. Have them will glue the shapes onto a large 11" x 14" piece of construction paper. The circles represent balloons and the two triangles connected at the point represent a bow tie. Students can draw a string so that it looks like a balloon on a string. They will them write a contraction on the circle (balloon) and write the two words the contraction came from on each triangle. For example, they would write "wasn't" on the balloon and "was" and "not" on the two triangles.
Students can match antonyms and synonyms. Have students who cannot read match pictures of antonyms and synonyms while students who can read can match words that are antonyms and synonyms. Activities students might include playing the game, Mother, May I. The game is played like the traditional Mother May I game in which students take steps forward based on a request; in this game, students are required to state an antonym or synonym in response to the word they're given. If the student responds correctly, the student can take one step forward. The first student to reach the front of the room wins the game.