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Worksheets

Context Clues

Total questions: 60

Worksheet time: 30mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Select the meaning of the underlined word: Julie found it very hard to walk up the building with book-laden backpack.

a)

free

b)

heavily loaded

c)

somehow occupied

d)

light

2.

Select the meaning of the underlined word: Andy is a wonderful Soccer player. He is versatile; he can play different positions well.

a)

lacks skills

b)

is boring

c)

is arrogant

d)

has many abilities

3.

Select the meaning of the underlined word: Britney could not see the building. It was shrouded with smoke and dust.

a)

covered

b)

colored

c)

ruined

d)

shown

4.

Select the meaning of the underlined word: At the restaurant we were offered a variety of beverages, like milk and ice tea.

a)

bread

b)

drinks

c)

utensils

d)

desserts

5.

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.

a)

something one should sometimes do

b)

something one should often do

c)

something one should do from time to time

d)

something one should never do

6.

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.

a)

happy

b)

neutral

c)

apologetic

d)

excited

7.

Select the meaning of the underlined word: I was so parched, I drank an entire glass of water in one gulp.

a)

hungry

b)

thirsty

c)

sleepy

d)

tired

8.

Select the meaning of the underlined word: Piscine creatures, such as flounder, salmon, and trout, live in the coldest parts of the ocean. 

a)

of or relating to birds

b)

of or relating to mammals

c)

of or relating to fish

d)

of or relating to amphibians

9.

Select the meaning of the underlined word: Tanya loved her dad, but she wondered why she was so organized when he was so haphazard.

a)

tidy

b)

clean

c)

forgetful

d)

disorganized

10.

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.

a)

beekeepers

b)

honey sellers

c)

bee haters

d)

honey lovers

11.

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

a)

a. pretentious

b)

b. grouchy

c)

c. talkative

d)

d. worried

12.

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)

a. tropical

b)

b. not malignant

c)

c. kind

d)

d. favorable

13.

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)

a. excess

b)

b. variety

c)

c. superiority

d)

d. lack

14.

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)

a. native

b)

b. necessary

c)

c. foreign

d)

d. alien

15.

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. a decade

b)

b. many years

c)

c. 1000 years

d)

d. a century

16.

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)

a. honesty

b)

b. fear of foreigners

c)

c. kindliness

d)

d. stubbornness

17.

Such are the vicissitudes of history. Nothing remains the same. Three hundred years of peace ended in darkness and confusion.

a)

a. evils

b)

b. mistakes

c)

c. changes

d)

d. rules

18.

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

a)

a. make milder

b)

b. beautify

c)

c. increase

d)

d. banish

19.

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)

a. forgotten

b)

b. inevitable

c)

c. hidden

d)

d. unhappy

20.

A combination of fog and industrial smoke, called smog, has vitiated the air in and around many big cities.

a)

a. concentrate

b)

b. fill up

c)

c. replace

d)

d. contaminate

21.

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?

a)

shocked

b)

not surprised

c)

bored

d)

interested

22.

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?

a)

vote

b)

understand

c)

approve

d)

discuss

23.

Example: Nutritious foods, such as fruits and vegetables, help our bodies grow.

What is the best meaning of the word nutritious?

a)

frozen

b)

sweet

c)

colorful

d)

healthy

24.

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?

a)

eager

b)

unwilling

c)

fearful

d)

afraid

25.

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?

a)

chaos

b)

calm

c)

shouting

d)

quiet

26.

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?

a)

antonym

b)

definition

c)

example

d)

inference

27.

"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?

a)

antonym

b)

inference

c)

definition

d)

synonym

28.

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?

a)

synonym

b)

definition

c)

inference

d)

example

29.

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?

a)

synonym

b)

example

c)

inference

d)

definition

30.

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.

a)

example

b)

antonym

c)

definition

d)

synonym

31.

What do you call a word that has the opposite meaning of another word?

a)

a homonym

b)

a synonym

c)

an antonym

d)

an explanation

32.

When you are reading and come to an unknown word, what should you do first?

a)

Look for clues in the text

b)

Skip it and keep reading

c)

Look it up in a dictionary

d)

Ask the teacher what it means

33.

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.

a)

nervous

b)

watchful

c)

discouraged

d)

excited

34.

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.

a)

delete

b)

find

c)

color

d)

add

35.

Based on the context clues in the passage below, migrate means...

Many Northern birds migrate for the winter. They return in the spring.

a)

sing

b)

move away

c)

eat

d)

lay eggs

36.

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.

a)

brushed her teeth

b)

followed her mother's requests

c)

that night

d)

folded her clothes

37.

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?

a)

car or train

b)

kind

c)

use

d)

Thursday afternoon

38.

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.

a)

explanation

b)

example

c)

antonym

d)

synonym

39.

What type of context clue that provides readers with varying examples to allow them to fully examine the unfamiliar words?

a)

EXPLANATION/ Example Clue

b)

DEFINITION/ Statement Clue

c)

ANTONYM/ Contrast Clue

d)

SYNONYM/ Similar Clue

40.

What type of context clue that provides the synonyms of words to give the meaning of unfamiliar words?

a)

Comparison or Sameness Clue

b)

DEFINITION/ Statement Clue

c)

INFERENCE / reasoning Clue

d)

SYNONYMS/ Similar Clue

41.

The director felt remorse, or shame, for hiring some incompetent employees.

What other words from the sentence that give synonyms to the underlined word?

a)

director

b)

shame

c)

hiring

d)

incompetent

42.

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?

a)

SYNONYMS

b)

CAUSE & EFFECT

c)

COMPARISON

d)

EXAMPLE

43.

Emily is going to get her vision tested because she can't see the board at school. What does vision probably mean?

a)

how well a person sees

b)

how well a person hears

c)

how strong a person is

d)

what eyes color a person has

44.

Alex was excited by the tremendous monster trucks at the show. They were bigger than he had ever seen.

What does tremendous probably mean?

a)

powerful

b)

very small

c)

very big

d)

brightly colored

45.

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?

a)

throw things

b)

look

c)

shout

d)

listen

46.

Janelle had a sore calf after the race. She rubbed her leg from the knee to the ankle.

What does calf probably mean?

a)

toe

b)

hand

c)

muscle

d)

leg between knee and ankle

47.

My father went into a rage when I told him about the broken lamp.

What does rage probably mean?

a)

lamp store

b)

sorrow

c)

anger

d)

lecture

48.

That movie was really humorous. I laughed so hard I was almost crying.

What does humorous probably mean?

a)

boring

b)

funny

c)

scary

d)

sad

49.

The spy travelled incognito into enemy territory.

Define incognito.

a)

safely

b)

quickly

c)

in disguise

d)

foolishly

50.

Select the meaning of the underlined word: At the restaurant we were offered a variety of beverages, like milk and ice tea.

a)

bread

b)

drinks

c)

utensils

d)

desserts

51.

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?

a)

to do something loudly

b)

to cough

c)

to withhold

d)

to show concern

52.

The monkey bars were starting to deteriorate. I could see the rust chipping away at the metal.

What is the best meaning of deteriorate?

a)

strengthen

b)

break down

c)

shine

d)

glow

53.

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:

a)

invite

b)

take the place of

c)

share

d)

examine

54.

I have decided to pursue journalism as a career. I have always liked interviewing and writing about people.

The best definition of pursue is:

a)

to excuse

b)

to try to obtain

c)

to learn

d)

to decide

55.

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"?

a)

added

b)

left out

c)

copied

d)

reused

56.

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?

a)

extremely rich

b)

poor

c)

fashionista

d)

model

57.

Lesley and Gusion had a secret rendezvous by the lake.

What does rendezvous means?

a)

meeting

b)

trip

c)

moment

d)

fight

58.

Prince Eric was completely enthralled by the witch's spell.

What does enthralled means?

a)

lost

b)

clueless

c)

enchanted

d)

killed

59.

Since Melissa deferred her vacation, she was able to accomplish more of her works.

What does deferred means?

a)

cancelled

b)

advanced

c)

delayed

d)

expedited

60.

Unlike my frugal mother, I don't bother bother shopping at sales or clipping coupons.

What does frugal means?

a)

careful

b)

careless

c)

thrifty

d)

wasteful