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Worksheets

Contextual Clues

Total questions: 44

Worksheet time: 27mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is the meaning of contextual clues?

a)

Finding the clues in context

b)

Guessing the clues in context

c)

Guessing the meaning from the clues in context

2.

The following sentence uses example as a clue.

a)

This water is lukewarm, so I can drink it without hurting my tongue.

b)

Exorbitant cars like Masserati, Ferrari, Lamborghini and even Bugatti can only be purchased by special orders.

c)

I don't like going to a crowded concert because there are too many people jamming the place up.

3.

The following sentence uses definition as a clue.

a)

An armadillo is a mammal with a thick leathery armour shell.

b)

Staying at a five-star hotel such as Hilton, Pullman and Avani can make you enjoy your holiday more.

c)

The two brothers are so different from each other; one is very introvert and the other is very talkative and friendly.

4.

Synonyms are ______.

a)

words with similar meanings

b)

words with opposite meanings

5.
If you don't curtail your spending, you'll be broke in no time at all!
a)
follow
b)
reduce
c)
behind
d)
buy
6.
I believe that if you lower taxes so that people can keep more of the money they earn, it will be an incentive for them to work harder.
a)
a reason to do something
b)
small amount of money
c)
a tax
d)
a good job
7.
Most of America's Founding Fathers did not believe in women's suffrage. Only men could vote in the United States until 1920.
a)
something that causes physical pain
b)
an early flag
c)
skirts that did not cover ankles
d)
the right to vote
8.
Your cousin claimed to be late because the doors of his house were frozen shut. Even though I have my doubts, his explanation is plausible. It got really cold last night. I'll just have to take his word for it.
a)
you must always believe it
b)
you should never believe it
c)
it's hard to understand because it makes no sense
d)
it's believable enough to possibly be true
9.
No matter where you go, the Internet is following you. Almost every portable device is being made with its connection. Most new TVs and many other appliances come with Internet connections as well. The Internet is truly ubiquitous.
a)
it is fuzzy and will bite you
b)
it is everywhere
c)
it costs too much money
d)
it causes rashes
10.
No word must ever leak out about this military action! It has to be a clandestine operation in order to succeed.
a)
useful
b)
important
c)
secret
d)
serious
11.
Fortunately, the dizzy spell was transient. He was able to continue playing within seconds and had no trouble winning the match.
a)
it sounds like a train
b)
it is not harmful
c)
it helps you win
d)
it doesn't last long
12.
When they heard the good news about the court’s decision, the angry crowd cheered and then began to disperse.“It looks like everyone is going home,” one reporter stated.Which would be the opposite of “disperse”?
a)
get crowded
b)
come together
c)
leave
d)
fight
13.
When your plan brings us great wealth, you will be rewarded for your sagacity.
a)
appearance
b)
mistakes
c)
intelligence
d)
business
14.
Both sides in the election contest are throwing accusations at each other. The Gore supporters claim that Governor Bush is trying to thwart the will of the people. The Bush supporters say that Mr. Gore is trying to create votes or assign choices to people who did not really cast votes for president.
a)
help
b)
figure out
c)
block
d)
tickle
15.

Ali sob when he heard the bad news.

a)

munch

b)

exclaim

c)

cry

d)

laugh

16.

The dreadful flood destroyed many houses and public facilities.

a)

furious

b)

annoying

c)

pleasant

d)

horrible

17.

He looked perplexed when he was told he had the wrong answer.

a)

angry

b)

puzzled

c)

sad

d)

exhausted

18.

Everyone likes to see her because she has a gorgeous smile.

a)

beautiful

b)

ugly

c)

big

d)

funny

19.

He was alone all the time, so he feels ______.

a)

pleased

b)

wonderful

c)

confident

d)

lonely

20.

The little girl whined when she was having nightmares.

a)

yelled

b)

whimpered

c)

shivered

d)

whispered

21.

Munch your food before swallowing. Do not gobble your food as you may get chocked.

a)

Gulp

b)

Chew

c)

Sip

d)

Taste

22.

He exclaimed in surprise when he received a present.

a)

sighed

b)

sobbed

c)

shouted

d)

grumbled

23.

Please be careful or you may fall from the tree.

a)

cautious

b)

careless

c)

clumsy

d)

caring

24.

He lost his pet cat yesterday and he is now very depressed.

a)

cheerful

b)

excited

c)

miserable

d)

furious

25.

Deena received a CGPA of 3.98 for her Diploma and feeling jubilant of her achievement.

What is jubilant?

a)

elated

b)

thrilled

c)

delighted

d)

proud

26.

She gives me this look of disdain ever since I cut her favorite doll's hair.

a)

hatred

b)

love

c)

sadness

d)

vorpality

27.
She offered a feeble excuse for her late work and they could tell that she wasn’t telling the truth.
What does feeble mean? 
a)
Weak
b)
Good
c)
Strong
d)
Believable
28.

Due to her busy schedule she forgot to have any meals. By supper time, she's feeling famished and ready to gobble down her food.

What is famished?

a)

feeling faint

b)

extremely hungry

c)

super tired

29.

The newlyweds agreed to be very frugal in their shopping because they wanted to save enough money to buy a house.

a)

economical

b)

wasteful

c)

interested

30.

My brother said, “I just freed myself from a very loquacious history professor. All he seemed to want was an audience.”

a)

pretentious

b)

grouchy

c)

talkative

d)

worried

31.

It is difficult to imagine a surfeit of talent in one individual, yet Leonard Bernstein simply does not have the time to make complete use of his talent as conductor, performer, writer, and lecturer.

a)

excess

b)

variety

c)

lack

d)

superiority

32.

There is a large demand all over the United States for plants indigenous to the desert. Many people in Arizona have made a good business of growing and selling cacti and other local plants.

a)

native

b)

necessary

c)

foreign

d)

alien

33.

The VIGILANT guards stayed up all night to make sure no one came near the castle.

a)

disguised

b)

watchful

c)

superior

d)

youthful

34.
I was so parched, I drank an entire glass of water in one gulp.
a)
hungry
b)
thirsty
c)
sleepy
35.
Tristin couldn’t see the school building; it was SHROUDED by smoke and dust.” What does the word SHROUDED mean?
a)
Covered
b)
ruined
c)
bounced
d)
invisible
36.

My mom seems to have the uncanny ability to know exactly what I'm thinking before I even say a word.

a)

strange or amazing

b)

mean or unkind

c)

to associate closely, as in friendship

d)

mean or unkind

37.

There is no doubt that the idea of living in such a benign climate was appealing. The islanders seemed to keep their vitality and live longer than Europeans.

a)

tropical

b)

not malignant

c)

kind

d)

favorable

38.

Our baseball team's pitcher has a few eccentric habits, such as throwing exactly thirteen warm-up pitches and never wearing socks

a)

normal

b)

strange

c)

messy

39.
The shallow river was usually easy for hikers to
wade across. However, the
recent heavy rains had turned it into a rushing torrent, too treacherous to cross. 
a)
dangerous
b)
wet
c)
muddy
d)
foggy
40.

Fortunately, the dizzy spell was transient. He was able to continue playing within seconds and had no trouble winning the match. When you describe an event as “transient”, you are saying that __________.

a)

it sounds like a train

b)

it is harmful

c)

it helps you win

d)

it doesn't last long

41.

Exorbitant cars like Masserati, Ferrari, Lamborghini and even Bugatti can only be purchased by special orders.

What is the meaning of exorbitant?

a)

Expensive

b)

Powerful

c)

Famous

42.

The purpose of the psychiatrist is to mitigate the suffering of the patient.

a)

make milder

b)

beautify

c)

increase

d)

banish

43.

We knew he couldn’t hold out much longer, because he had been doomed from the beginning. One night he met his ineluctable fate.

a)

forgotten

b)

inevitable

c)

hidden

d)

unhappy

44.

Many years before, Caesar’s men had tried and failed to invade Britain. No doubt this contributed to the xenophobia of the Romans. They were cautious about strangers who entered their country.

a)

honesty

b)

fear of foreigners

c)

kindliness

d)

stubbornness