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WorksheetsContext Clues
Total questions: 60
Worksheet time: 30mins
Select the meaning of the underlined word: Julie found it very hard to walk up the building with book-laden backpack.
free
heavily loaded
somehow occupied
light
Select the meaning of the underlined word: Andy is a wonderful Soccer player. He is versatile; he can play different positions well.
lacks skills
is boring
is arrogant
has many abilities
Select the meaning of the underlined word: Britney could not see the building. It was shrouded with smoke and dust.
covered
colored
ruined
shown
Select the meaning of the underlined word: At the restaurant we were offered a variety of beverages, like milk and ice tea.
bread
drinks
utensils
desserts
Select the meaning of the underlined word: In many cultures, there are certain taboos relating to mealtime. For example, in Nepal, you should never touch your food with your left hand.
something one should sometimes do
something one should often do
something one should do from time to time
something one should never do
Select the meaning of the underlined word: It is difficult to forgive someone who has hurt you, even if that person is penitent and expresses regret for their decisions.
happy
neutral
apologetic
excited
Select the meaning of the underlined word: I was so parched, I drank an entire glass of water in one gulp.
hungry
thirsty
sleepy
tired
Select the meaning of the underlined word: Piscine creatures, such as flounder, salmon, and trout, live in the coldest parts of the ocean.
of or relating to birds
of or relating to mammals
of or relating to fish
of or relating to amphibians
Select the meaning of the underlined word: Tanya loved her dad, but she wondered why she was so organized when he was so haphazard.
tidy
clean
forgetful
disorganized
Select the meaning of the underlined word: In late 2006, apiarists in the U.S. began reporting that their honey bees were dying. Some of these beekeepers lost 90 percent of their hives.
beekeepers
honey sellers
bee haters
honey lovers
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
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
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. superiority
d. lack
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
After the Romans left, a millennium and a half passed before people again lived in such comfort. Churchill wrote, “From the year 400 until the year 1900 no one had central heating and very few had hot baths.”
a. a decade
b. many years
c. 1000 years
d. a century
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
Such are the vicissitudes of history. Nothing remains the same. Three hundred years of peace ended in darkness and confusion.
a. evils
b. mistakes
c. changes
d. rules
The purpose of the psychiatrist is to mitigate the suffering of the patient.
a. make milder
b. beautify
c. increase
d. banish
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
A combination of fog and industrial smoke, called smog, has vitiated the air in and around many big cities.
a. concentrate
b. fill up
c. replace
d. contaminate
Inference: I was aghast when I found out my neighbor had robbed the jewelry store and stolen $100,000 in diamonds!
What is the best meaning of the word aghast?
shocked
not surprised
bored
interested
Definition: In order to become law, all 13 colonies had to ratify, or approve, the Constitution.
What is the best meaning of the word ratify?
vote
understand
approve
discuss
Example: Nutritious foods, such as fruits and vegetables, help our bodies grow.
What is the best meaning of the word nutritious?
frozen
sweet
colorful
healthy
Antonym: Some children were willing to play in the snow, but others were reluctant because it was so cold.
What is the best meaning of the word reluctant?
eager
unwilling
fearful
afraid
Synonym: There was pandemonium, or chaos among the fans when their team won the Super Bowl.
What is the best meaning for the word pandemonium?
chaos
calm
shouting
quiet
The monkey's vociferous chatter made me with I had earplugs.
What type of context clue is used to help determine the meaning of the underlined word?
antonym
definition
example
inference
"Unlike John's room, which was immaculate, Jeff's room was very messy."
What type of context clue is used to help determine the meaning of the underlined word?
antonym
inference
definition
synonym
Many companies are downsizing, reducing the number of employees they have, in order to save money.
What type of context clue is used to help determine the meaning of the underlined word?
synonym
definition
inference
example
We remembered to bring all the provisions, such as water, food, and warm clothing on the hike.
What type of context clue is used to help determine the meaning of the underlined word?
synonym
example
inference
definition
Her quiet, timid ways made it hard for her to make friends.
What type of context clue is used to help determine the meaning of the underlined word.
example
antonym
definition
synonym
What do you call a word that has the opposite meaning of another word?
a homonym
a synonym
an antonym
an explanation
When you are reading and come to an unknown word, what should you do first?
Look for clues in the text
Skip it and keep reading
Look it up in a dictionary
Ask the teacher what it means
Based on the clues in the passage below, ecstatic means...
They were ecstatic at the birth of their baby. They couldn't stop smiling for days.
nervous
watchful
discouraged
excited
Based on the context clues in the passage below, eliminate means...
Please eliminate the blank lines between the pictures. They were not supposed to be there.
delete
find
color
add
Based on the context clues in the passage below, migrate means...
Many Northern birds migrate for the winter. They return in the spring.
sing
move away
eat
lay eggs
Based on the passage below, obedient means...
The obedient child always followed her mother's requests. That night, she brushed her teeth, folded her clothes, and went to bed before her mother had to come in to remind her.
brushed her teeth
followed her mother's requests
that night
folded her clothes
Read the passage below. What word or words help you understand the meaning of the word transportation in this sentence?
On Thursday afternoon, what kind of transportation will you use, a car or train?
car or train
kind
use
Thursday afternoon
Read the passage below. What kind of context clue helps you understand the meaning of the word discontent?
Just yesterday the sailors had been happy. Now a wave of discontent swept through the ship's crew.
explanation
example
antonym
synonym
What type of context clue that provides readers with varying examples to allow them to fully examine the unfamiliar words?
EXPLANATION/ Example Clue
DEFINITION/ Statement Clue
ANTONYM/ Contrast Clue
SYNONYM/ Similar Clue
What type of context clue that provides the synonyms of words to give the meaning of unfamiliar words?
Comparison or Sameness Clue
DEFINITION/ Statement Clue
INFERENCE / reasoning Clue
SYNONYMS/ Similar Clue
The director felt remorse, or shame, for hiring some incompetent employees.
What other words from the sentence that give synonyms to the underlined word?
director
shame
hiring
incompetent
As a country in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines always experiences different natural calamities such as typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis.
What type of context clue is used in the sentence?
SYNONYMS
CAUSE & EFFECT
COMPARISON
EXAMPLE
Emily is going to get her vision tested because she can't see the board at school. What does vision probably mean?
how well a person sees
how well a person hears
how strong a person is
what eyes color a person has
Alex was excited by the tremendous monster trucks at the show. They were bigger than he had ever seen.
What does tremendous probably mean?
powerful
very small
very big
brightly colored
If you gaze long enough at that picture of an old woman, she will seem to turn into a young woman.
What does gaze probably mean?
throw things
look
shout
listen
Janelle had a sore calf after the race. She rubbed her leg from the knee to the ankle.
What does calf probably mean?
toe
hand
muscle
leg between knee and ankle
My father went into a rage when I told him about the broken lamp.
What does rage probably mean?
lamp store
sorrow
anger
lecture
That movie was really humorous. I laughed so hard I was almost crying.
What does humorous probably mean?
boring
funny
scary
sad
The spy travelled incognito into enemy territory.
Define incognito.
safely
quickly
in disguise
foolishly
Select the meaning of the underlined word: At the restaurant we were offered a variety of beverages, like milk and ice tea.
bread
drinks
utensils
desserts
My teacher was stifling a laugh. It was clear she did not want the class to think she found the comment amusing.
What is the best meaning of stifling?
to do something loudly
to cough
to withhold
to show concern
The monkey bars were starting to deteriorate. I could see the rust chipping away at the metal.
What is the best meaning of deteriorate?
strengthen
break down
shine
glow
I will supersede Michael as president of the student government. It was time for him to move on anyway.
The closest meaning to supersede is:
invite
take the place of
share
examine
I have decided to pursue journalism as a career. I have always liked interviewing and writing about people.
The best definition of pursue is:
to excuse
to try to obtain
to learn
to decide
Our teacher accidently omitted a question on the exam. The class was more than happy to answer fewer questions, however.
What is the best meaning of "omitted"?
added
left out
copied
reused
Guinevere is obviously affluent. I have never seen her repeat clothes and she rides the most luxurious cars when she goes to school.
What is the best meaning of affluent?
extremely rich
poor
fashionista
model
Lesley and Gusion had a secret rendezvous by the lake.
What does rendezvous means?
meeting
trip
moment
fight
Prince Eric was completely enthralled by the witch's spell.
What does enthralled means?
lost
clueless
enchanted
killed
Since Melissa deferred her vacation, she was able to accomplish more of her works.
What does deferred means?
cancelled
advanced
delayed
expedited
Unlike my frugal mother, I don't bother bother shopping at sales or clipping coupons.
What does frugal means?
careful
careless
thrifty
wasteful
