J. Child Lang.  (), –. Printed in the United Kingdom   Cambridge University Press Children’s interpretations of homonyms : a developmental study* MICHE  LE M. M. MAZZOCCO Arizona State University (Received  January . Revised  November )  The effect of homonymity on children’s use of semantic context to derive word meaning was examined in two studies. Participants were presented with stories that included three types of key words : nonsense words, familiar words used accurately, and homonymous words. Thirty- two preschoolers aged  ;  to  ; ,  second graders aged  ;  to  ; , and  college students in Study  indicated the keys words’ meaning by selecting one of six possible illustrations per key word. In Study ,  toddlers aged  ;  to  ; ,  preschoolers aged  ;  to  ; ,  second graders aged  ;  to  ; , and  fifth graders aged  ;  to  ;  indicated key word meanings either by enacting each story with paper dolls or by selecting one of six possible illustrations. Word type and age, but not response mode, affected children’s interpretations. Children from all four age groups made fewer contextually based interpretations of homonymous words than of nonsense words. Fifth graders and adults made more contextually based (rather than literal) interpretations of homonymous words than did younger children. The results suggest that homonymity is a powerful inhibitor of children’s tendency to derive a meaning for a new word from context.  In order to understand lexical development, it is necessary to understand the influences on how children form hypotheses for a word’s meaning. In the present studies, two sources of influence on a child’s word interpretation [*] This work represents, in part, dissertation research completed by the author. The author wishes to acknowledge Susan C. Somerville, who served as her doctoral advisor. The author thanks all the participants and their parents, the teachers and school principals who assisted with subject recruitment, Jef Miller, Lisa Cramer Whitfield and Cynthia Kaye Jenkins. Additional thanks are extended to an anonymous reviewer who provided valuable comments on an earlier draft. Address for correspondence : Miche  le Mazzocco, Kennedy Krieger Institute,  North Broadway, Room , Baltimore, MD , USA. 