Identify terms with multiple meanings and connotations. Many terms have meanings and applications across various subjects. For instance, consider the word “root.” In math, “root” means a number that, when multiplied by itself, gives a specific value (e.g., the square root of 9 is 3). In science, “root” refers to the part of a plant that absorbs nutrients and anchors it to the soil. In English Language Arts, “root” is the basic part of a word that provides its core meaning (e.g., the root of "aquarium" is "aqua").