Choosing the Right Meaning for a Repeated Word
Students read a short article about a school garden. The word "plot" appears three times.
- "Each class was given a small plot behind the gym."
- "The students did not want to spoil the ending, so they refused to reveal the plot of the play they were writing."
- "A few students began to plot how to get more sunlight for the tomatoes."
The teacher asks the class to sort the three uses by meaning and to explain how context, not a dictionary list, decides which meaning fits. One student says all three mean "a piece of land." Another says the second and third uses are the same because both involve stories. The class must resolve the disagreement using the surrounding words in each sentence.
1. Explain the meaning of "plot" in each of the three sentences, and identify the context clues that support each meaning. Write 60-90 words.
Read the worked answer
In sentence 1, "plot" means a small area of ground; the clue is "behind the gym" and "given a small plot," which points to land. In sentence 2, it means the sequence of events in a story; the clues are "spoiler," "the ending," and "the play." In sentence 3, it means to plan secretly or scheme; the clue is "began to plot how to get more sunlight," which describes an action, not a thing. Context, not a single dictionary entry, decides the meaning.
2. A classmate claims sentences 2 and 3 use "plot" the same way because both relate to stories. How would you correct this claim? Answer in 40-60 words.
Read the worked answer
The claim confuses topic with meaning. Sentence 2 uses "plot" as a noun meaning the events of a story. Sentence 3 uses it as a verb meaning to plan or scheme. The word "how" after "plot" signals an action. Related topic does not make the words the same part of speech or the same meaning.