Determine Meaning: Words and Phrases

Read the sentence. Andrea's opponent was honest and straightforward, but Andrea used her guile to win the contest. What type of context clue in the sentence can be used to determine the meaning of guile?

Read the passage. Paul seems to know everyone in this town, and is always amenable to a chat when I run into him. Paul's father, a docile man, works with him at the bookstore. Which statement best explains the nuance between amenable and docile?

Amenable suggests that Paul is an open, social person, while docile implies that his father is kind but quiet.

Read the passage. When Norah finally got tickets to the concert, she asked me to go with her. I am an ardent fan of bluegrass music, so of course I said yes. Malinda said she would be willing to go, too. Which statement best explains the nuance between ardent and willing?

Ardent implies a deep desire for something, while willing implies simply a readiness to do something.

Based on context clues in the passage, what is the most likely meaning of laconic? Select two options.

Brief. Concise.

Read the passage. Hana's ambivalence about the trip was understandable. She wanted to visit her parents' country of birth, but she was worried that it would be difficult for her family to get back into the country when they came home. Based on context clues in the excerpt, what is the most likely meaning of ambivalence?

Indecisiveness

Read the excerpt from Mark Twain's memoir, Life on the Mississippi. I was quaking from head to foot, and I could have hung my hat on my eyes, they stuck out so far. What is the most likely meaning of the phrase "I could have hung my hat on my eyes, they stuck out so far" in this sentence?

It is hyperbole that means that the author's eyes were wide with fear.

Read the passage. Delia pointed out the slender branches of the almond tree to Kaveh, noting the flowers that were about to bloom. As they walked through the garden, Kaveh noticed a skinny tree in the corner of the yard and asked Delia what type it was. How does the word choice slender affect the meaning of the passage?

The word slender implies that the almond tree is elegant.

Read the excerpt from As You Like It by William Shakespeare. All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances. What do Shakespeare's metaphors most likely mean? Select three options.

people play different roles throughout their lives, people leave one phase of their life to enter another, people all go through the same phases of life

Read the sentence. Lori is as strong as an ox, so I'm sure it will be no problem for her to help you bring those boxes up to the third floor. What type of figurative language is the phrase "as strong as an ox"?

Read the sentence. Levi was terrified of leaving his parents' farm and striking out on his own, but the longer he stayed, the more obvious it became that he was going to have to cut the cord, and soon. What are the best possible meanings of the euphemism "cut the cord"? Select two options.

stop depending on parents, leave the farm

Read the excerpt from Robert Frost's poem "Mending Wall." What does the word grasped connote in this poem?

that the man is determined to protect himself

Read the sentence. When he gave his speech to younger audiences, Jake knew that it would be prudent to avoid sharing stories that might be considered inappropriate for children. Based on context clues in the passage, what is the most likely meaning of prudent? Select three options.

using good judgement, being cautious, ensuring appropriateness

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When you encounter a vocabulary word with which you are unfamiliar, what do you do? Use the context clues to determine the word's meaning. In addition to the great context clues worksheets on this page, check out this free context clues game that I made. Students learn hundreds of challenging vocabulary words while playing a fun climbing game.

I used the context clues worksheets on this page to help my students in the classroom. I am sharing them with you in the hopes that they will help you as well. The words have been selected from texts recommended by Common Core. These context clues worksheets have been divided into three levels:

  • Level 1 - 3rd-6th Grade Vocabulary Words
  • Level 2 - 5th-8th Grade Vocabulary Words
  • Level 3 - 8th-12th Grade Vocabulary Words

These are the easiest context clues worksheets. These worksheets were designed to help struggling students or students in lower grades. They were written to help students reading at a 3rd to 6th grade reading level . Be sure to preview all materials before using them in your classroom.

This is a preview image of Context Clues Worksheet 1.1. Click on it to enlarge it or view the source file.

Level Three

This is a preview image of Context Clues Worksheet 3.1. Click on it to enlarge it or view the source file.

What are Context Clues?

Context clues are hints in the sentence that help good readers figure out the meanings of unfamiliar words. When we look at the "context" of a word, we look at how it is being used. Based on how these words are used, and on our knowledge of the other words in the sentence, we make an educated prediction as to what the challenging vocabulary word may mean.

Example of Using Context Clues

Examine these lines from Lewis Carroll's poem, "Jabberwocky":

Jubjub , frumious , and Bandersnatch were NOT words before Carroll coined them. Yet readers are able to get meaning from them based on how the words are used. A reading of the whole poem is helpful way to introduce context clues to your students.

Free Context Clues Video Game

This is a preview image of Context Clues Climber: Vocabulary Video Game. Click on it to enlarge it or view the source file.

Context Clues Common Core State Standards

This is photo of a young boy wearing a Sherlock Holmes style hat. He is holding a magnifying glass to his eye, as though he is looking for clues.

151 Comments

Carl anthony peterson.

Excellent worksheet/resources to use to help your young person build and increase their vocabulary. Thank you sharing!

Trevina Gima

Coming from a country where english is our third or 4th language but its also our language of instruction

YOUR MATERIALS HERE ARE AWSOME

I REALLY THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE BEAUTIFUL MATERIALS

TREVINA GIMA

Juleby S. Reyes

I would like to express my warmest gratitude for these worksheets. It helps us educators to intensify the skills of students in reading comprehension through context clues. Thank you! God Bless and More Power!

thank you so much. These worksheets are helpful.

you are very generous to have share this very helpful to me as

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  1. Determine Meaning: Words and Phrases Flashcards - Quizlet

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  3. Determine Meaning: Words and Phrases Flashcards - Quizlet

    Read the sentence. Andrea's opponent was honest and straightforward, but Andrea used her guile to win the contest. What type of context clue in the sentence can be used to determine the meaning of guile? an antonym.

  4. RL.6.4 Worksheets - Common Core ELA - Education.com

    "Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone." These worksheets can help students practice this Common Core State Standards skill.

  5. determine the meaning of words and phrases - TPT

    Turn learning how to determine the meaning of words and phrases in text into a fun and exciting activity with this Boom Card resource! Students choose one of four possible answers, using context clues within the text.

  6. Results for determine meaning of words and phrases - TPT

    Common Core Focus Reading Standards for Literature – RL.9-10.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.

  7. Results for determine word meaning - TPT

    Do your students struggle to use context clues in passages to determine the meaning of unknown words and phrases? This resource contains 6 different activities that help students identify context clues as they search for the meaning of unknown words and phrases found in informational text.

  8. Determine Meaning: Words and Phrases Flashcards - Quizlet

    When the text surrounding an unfamiliar word contains a word with a similar meaning. When the text surrounding an unfamiliar word contains a word with the opposite meaning. The text requires the reader to use reasoning to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word. words mean exactly what they say.

  9. Determine Meaning: Words and Phrases | Quizwiz

    Based on context clues in the passage, what is the most likely meaning of laconic? Select two options.

  10. Context Clues Worksheets - Ereading Worksheets

    RI.8.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.