Context Clues

Context Clues

Context Clues

When reading a story, you may see a word you don't know. how can you figure out what this new word means? You could try using context clues. Context is the other words in a sentence that help give a word meaning. Use the context clues in each sentence to determine the meaning of the underlined word.

Multiple Choice

The girls adorned their hair with flowers and ribbons.

• decorated

• cut

• brushed

Adorned=Decorated

In the previous sentence, the words flowers and ribbons are clues. We can guess that the girls put flowers and ribbons in their hair.

Multiple Choice

The murmur of the stream could barely be heard.

• loud sound

• soft sound

• talking

Murmur=a soft sound

The "words could barely be heard" tell you that a murmur is a sound. Since it can "barely be heard", we can infer it is a soft sound.

Multiple Choice

His disheveled hair looked as if a bird had tried to make a nest in it.

• neat

• combed

• messy

Multiple Choice

There was perspiration, or sweat, dripping from his hot face after P.E.

• tears

• sweat

• oil

Multiple Choice

We were upset by the cancellation of the game. it was the last game of the season and we wouldn't get another chance to play. Why did it have to rain?

• called off the game

• lost the game

• won the game

Multiple Choice

She squinted her eyes in the bright sunlight, trying to see the baby bird.

• partly closed

• widened

• completely closed

• rolled

Multiple Choice

The storm destroyed the town. Buildings fell down. Water pipes burst and flooded the streets. People were hurt.

• built

• helped

• wrecked

• followed