New Hampshire Foundations of Reading Practice Test

How can teachers help students differentiate between multiple meanings of words?

1. By providing extensive definitions without examples

2. By using context clues through sentences

3. By limiting students to memorization techniques only

4. By focusing solely on phonics without context

The correct answer is: By using context clues through sentences

Teachers can effectively help students differentiate between multiple meanings of words by utilizing context clues within sentences. This approach allows students to see how a word functions in various situations, demonstrating its different meanings based on the surrounding text. Context clues can include definitions, synonyms, antonyms, or sentences that illustrate how the meaning changes. For example, the word "bat" can refer to a flying mammal or a piece of sports equipment. By providing sentences that demonstrate each meaning, students can grasp how context influences understanding. This method encourages critical thinking and comprehension, equipping students with strategies to decode unfamiliar words as they encounter them in reading. Other options, such as providing extensive definitions without examples or focusing solely on phonics, do not engage students in the active process of understanding how words function in context, which is essential for grasping multiple meanings. Limiting students to memorization techniques also removes the element of practical application needed to truly understand words in different contexts.