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WorksheetsDetermine Meaning of Unknown Words
Total questions: 15
Worksheet time: 15mins
The cowboys and cow dogs worked all day to move the cattle to their new pasture. The cows did not really want to move. Sometimes the men and dogs had to form a ring around the cattle to force them in the right direction. By evening their chore was complete.
Read the dictionary entry below.
ring
1. a band to wear on a finger
2. a sound made by a telephone
3. to hem in by circling
4. a circular course at a circus
Which meaning of ring was used in the paragraph?
Meaning 1
Meaning 2
Meaning 3
Meaning 4
What does little birdie say
In her nest at peep of day?
Let me fly, says little birdie,
Mother, let me fly away.
Birdie, rest a little longer,
Till thy little wings are stronger.
So she rests a little longer,
Then she flies away.
~ Alfred Lord Tennyson
Read the dictionary entry below.
fly
1. an insect
2. to move through the air
using wings
3. to travel in an airplane
4. to flee or escape
Which meaning of fly was used in the paragraph?
Meaning 1
Meaning 2
Meaning 3
Meaning 4
Latin root for know.
loc
cogn
ped
sign
In the story, "Nature's Firefighters," it says: "Strong winds whip flames into firestorms that rip through the combustible plants, threatening lives and costing billions of dollars in damage."
What does the word firestorm mean?
an intense, destructive fire
fire that rains from burning clouds in the sky
a tool for fighting fires
a goat that battles fires
When Wei Yei got a tiny cut on her pinky finger, she became melodramatic, and sobbed and demanded to see a doctor.
What does melodramatic mean?
quiet
overly emotional
angry
not angry enough
Knowing that the Latin root astr- means stars/space can help us determine the meaning of the underlined word in this sentence: The astronomer received her bachelor's of science degree in physics from Kansas State University.
Someone who studies stars and outer space
Someone who stars in a movie
Someone who looks like a star
Someone who travels to stars
Knowing that the Greek root "bio" means life can help you determine the meaning of the underlined word in the following sentence: There is a greater biomass in the rainforest than in the arctic.
A scientist who studies life
Reptiles and mammals
The amount of living things in a habitat
A story written about someone's life
Knowing that the Greek root "chron" means time can help you determine the meaning of the underlined word in this sentence: My grandpa has been suffering from chronic back pain for the last twenty years, and the doctors can't figure out why.
Putting events in a timeline
Something lasting a long time
Something lasting a short time
A device that tells time
Knowing that the Greek root "poly" means multiple/many can help us determine the meaning of the underlined word in this sentence: The polyglot could speak French, Japanese, Arabic, and English.
Someone with many different college degrees
Someone with many nationalities
Someone born in many different countries
Someone who knows many languages
Knowing that the Latin root "port" means to carry can help you determine the meaning of the underlined word in this sentence: The porter struggled to balance the 4 suitcases on top of each other as he walked them to the guest's room.
A person whose job it is to carry luggage
A machine that carries luggage
Something that is easy to carry
A ship that carries people from one destination to another
Knowing that the Latin root "cent" means 100 can help you determine the meaning of the underlined word in this sentence: The centipede crawled across the driveway, trying to make it to the grassy yard before a bird pecked it up as a midday snack.
100 seconds
100 pennies make 1 dollar
A mouse with 100 legs
A bug with 100 legs
Choose all of the correct answers.
It is important to learn Greek and Latin roots because...
they help you find the meanings of words
the help you better understand what you are reading
they help you divide in math
they help you break down the word to understand what it means
A word's root is its...
prefix (beginning)
origin (starting place)
suffix (ending)
plant
Determine the meaning of the word 'arduous' in the following sentence: 'The hikers found the trail to be arduous, requiring great effort and endurance to reach the summit.'
A) Easy and pleasant
B) Difficult and tiring
C) Short and simple
D) Fun and exciting
In the sentence 'The detective's keen observation skills allowed her to discern the subtle clues left at the crime scene,' what does the word 'discern' mean?
A) Ignore
B) Overlook
C) Detect
D) Destroy
