Lexical inference training for homonyms: two randomized controlled trials for children with English as a first and an additional language

Journal article

Background: Many words have multiple meanings which present challenges to learning yet research has yet to identify effective interventions for homonyms. Lexical inference may be a promising strategy.

Aim: To evaluate a brief, novel lexical inference intervention for homonyms.

Samples: Children aged 7–8 years (Study 1: N = 180, Study 2: N = 76). Study 2 included children with English as an Additional Language (EAL, n = 37).

Methods: In two randomised controlled trials, participants were assigned to either inference training or control (Study 1: spatial training; Study 2: implicit exposure through reading). Their receptive knowledge of taught and untaught homonyms was measured before and after the intervention, and in Study 2, metacognitive and inference skills too.

Results: Those in the inference interventions showed greater gains in receptive knowledge than control groups. In study 2, children also showed improvement in the inference test with homonyms, and while children with EAL had a specific challenge with receptive knowledge of homonyms compared to their EL1 peers, the intervention was equally effective for both groups. Receptive knowledge and inference with homonyms predicted unique variance in reading comprehension. The intervention showed limited transfer to untaught words, although patterns of errors provided some indication of improved understanding.

Conclusions: A brief inference training is effective for gaining knowledge of homonyms, with limited transfer to untaught words, and the intervention is equally effective for children with EAL and EL1. The findings also showed the importance of homonym understanding and inference for children’s reading comprehension.

Authors: Booton, SA; Birchenough, JMH; Gilligan-Lee, K; Jelley, F; Murphy, VA

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Wiley
• Journal: British Journal of Educational Psychology
• Publication date: 2026-01-05
• Acceptance date: 2025-12-12
• DOI: 10.1111/bjep.70056
• EISSN: 2044-8279
• ISSN: 0007-0998
• Language: English
• Keywords: vocabulary; lexical inference; randomised controlled trial; English as an additional language; reading comprehension