Types of Context Clues
You act like a ________ in order to find out what a word means through clues and hints.
A.) Doctor
B.) Lawyer
C.) Student
D.) Detective
D.) Detective
Dad spent countless hours caring for and manicuring his grass, so he hated when his neighbors neglected their lawns. What does neglected mean?
A.) To care
B.) To give attention to
C.) To ignore
D.) To suffer
C.) To ignore
Bobby never realized how ignorant he had been about matters of the home until his wife got sick and he had to manage the house alone. What does ignorant mean in this sentence?
A.) Aware
B.) Knowing
C.) Unaware
D.) Rude
C.) Unaware
The movers dropped my television console, and the wooden shelves broke. What is the meaning of console in this sentence?
A.) a piece of furniture
B.) video game unit
C.) computer keyboard
D.) to comfort
A.) a piece of furniture
She was often garrulous in class even though her sister was known to be a quiet student. What does garrulous mean?
A.) Sleepy
B.) Calm
C.) Talkative
D.) Silent
C.) Talkative
This type of context clue has a word or phrase with the same meaning.
Example: The beach was covered with debris like paper and cans and the children picked up all the trash.
A.) Antonym Clue
B.) Restatement Clue
C.) Synonym Clue
D.) Example Clue
C.) Synonym Clue
After studying for twelve hours straight, Rob was growing weary. What does weary mean?
A.) Anxious
B.) Tiredness
C.) Patient
D.) Kind
B.) Tiredness
Lance felt that it would be proper to ask Barbie's father for permission to marry her. What does proper mean?
A.) Ideal
B.) Inappropriate
C.) Acceptable
D.) Wrong
C.) Acceptable
The arctic explorers watched carefully for crevasses, deep cracks that form in glaciers. What does crevasses mean in this sentence?
A.) deep cracks
B.) arctic explorers
C.) glaciers
D.) bad storms
A.) deep cracks
It had to be serendipity that I found my dream house during a random drive in the country. What does serendipity mean?
A.) Misfortune
B.) Design
C.) Coincidence
D.) Crazy
C.) Coincidence
What are context clues? Choose the best answer.
A.) Hints that help readers discover the meaning of unfamiliar words.
B.) Words being defined directly and clearly in the sentence in which they appear.
C.) A set of tools to help improve reading comprehension.
D.) I think that all the answer choices make sense.
A.) Hints that help readers discover the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Contrary to my mother's opinion that I should stay home on graduation night, I would like to go to a large party. What does contrary mean?
A.) Opposite
B.) Similar
C.) Without
D.) Alike
A.) Opposite
Alice woke up feeling wretched. She was covered with sweat and had a headache. What does wretched mean?
A.) Comfortable
B.) Amiable
C.) Fortunate
D.) Miserable
D.) Miserable
My sister is parsimonious, but she is not as cheap at my mother. My mother hasn't bought a pair of new shoes in 20 years! What is the meaning of the word parsimonious is this sentence?
A.) thrifty
B.) unclean
C.) intelligent
D.) thoughtless
A.) thrifty
The lake was full of noxious materials such as cleaning agents and pesticides from the nearby factory and farms. What does noxious mean?
A.) Helpful
B.) Harmful
C.) Pleasant
D.) Chemical
B.) Harmful
This type of context clue has a word or phrase with the opposite meaning.
Example: Unlike animals who hunt in the day, nocturnal hunters must find their way in the darkness.
A.) Antonym Clue
B.) Restatement Clue
C.) Synonym Clue
D.) Example Clue
A.) Antonym Clue
Jack likes to sit on the edge of the pier when the wind is calm and the water is tranquil. What does tranquil mean?
A.) Busy
B.) Disruptive
C.) Peaceful
D.) Pretty
C.) Peaceful
Most of the boys in the class were in some heated argument about which sports team would win the big game, but Jeremy was indifferent. He just wanted to play Death Troopers on his game box. What does indifferent mean?
A.) Interested
B.) Biased
C.) Unconcerned
D.) Caring
C.) Unconcerned
Mr. Perrie has a way of making Algebra seem easy. His lucid explanations make even the most difficult problems easy to understand. What does the word lucid mean in this sentence?
A.) humorous
B.) interesting
C.) clear
D.) relaxed
C.) clear
The floors of the cafeteria were squalid. They were covered with spilled grease, crumbs of food, and bits of notebook paper. What does squalid mean?
A.) Clean
B.) Decent
C.) Dirty
D.) Busy
C.) Dirty
This type of context clue provides an explanation of the word's meaning.
Example: A ship that can travel under the surface of the ocean is a submarine.
A.) Synonym
B.) Antonym
C.) Definition
D.) Context
C.) Definition
Paul was reluctant to take the car to the mechanics, since last time it cost him seven hundred dollars, but the engine was making such a squeal that he scheduled an appointment. What does reluctant mean?
A.) Eager
B.) Willing
C.) Resistant
D.) Enthusiastic
C.) Resistant
John was bewildered when he saw the math teacher writing letters on the board that were to be added and subtracted. Aren't letters for reading class? John thought to himself. What does bewildered mean?
A.) Aware
B.) Puzzled
C.) Alert
D.) Oriented
B.) Puzzled
I remember the blinding pain surging through my body and then feeling nothing at all. What does the word surging mean?
A.) Rushing
B.) Decreasing
C.) Steady
D.) Stop
A.) Rushing
She was experiencing a nightmare of the most extraordinary verisimilitude. What does verisimilitude mean?
A.) Crazy
B.) Different
C.) Impossibility
D.) Believable
D.) Believable