anchor charts & printables
TRANSCRIPT
Anchor Charts & Printables
What are Context Clues?
Context Clues are words or groups of words that give clues about the
meaning of an unknown word.
You can use context clues in a sentence or paragraph to
determine the meaning of an unknown word in any type of
reading passage.
Context Clues can show up in text as examples, definitions,
synonyms, antonyms, or contrasts. Sometimes the general context or
feel of the writing can also provide clues that help readers
determine the meaning of unknown words.
©Kirsten Tulsian
Examples as Clues
Sometimes specific examples are used in writing to help readers understand
difficult (or unknown) words.
The following words or phrases are indicative of this type of context clue:
-such as -including
-consists of -like
-for example
©Kirsten Tulsian
Example: I got in trouble for not telling the truth last night and my mom decided to revoke all my privileges. For example, I can’t hang out
with my friends until next week.
In this sentence, the writer gives a specific example of something that was revoked as a result
of not telling the truth. This example provides a clue about the meaning of the word revoke.
Synonyms or Definitions as Clues
Sometimes synonyms or definitions are used in writing to help readers understand difficult
(or unknown) words.
In these cases, you might see a comma after the unknown word, followed by a synonym or short
definition of the that word.
©Kirsten Tulsian
Example: Sometimes studying for math tests feels
futile, or useless, because my scores never seem to improve all that much.
In this sentence, the writer uses the word useless to give you a clue about the
definition of the word futile.
Antonyms or Contrasts as Clues
Sometimes antonyms (or contrasts) are used in writing to help readers understand difficult (or unknown) words. In these cases, the writer may use an obvious antonym. In other cases, an idea or thing is compared to show a contrast.
©Kirsten Tulsian
Example: Unlike my older brother who is boisterous and full of energy, I feel exhausted in the morning when I wake up. It would be nice
to feel refreshed in the morning!
In this sentence, the writer uses a contrast for the word boisterous (exhausted). Even if the reader does not know the definition of the word boisterous, he/she can use the
contrast of the word exhausted to determine that the word boisterous means
rowdy, noisy, or energetic.
Name: ______________________ Date: _____________
Use context clues to determine the meaning of the underlined words in the following
passage. Use the passage to answer the questions on the following pages.
©Kirsten Tulsian
What Stinks? Opening the door into my house was like bumping into a wall of the nastiest smell in the
whole world.
“Mom?” I called.
There was no answer, so I proceeded to the kitchen in search of clues. Could it be
rotten food in the refrigerator? Hesitantly, I pulled the refrigerator door open, but quickly
realized that the odor wasn’t coming from the fridge. It was just too revolting to be rotting
vegetables or rotten milk.
“Dad?” I yelled.
I was met with silence. The putrid smell seemed to be intensifying. I felt like my nose
hairs were starting to singe and burn.
“Sam?” I screamed in a much more desperate tone. Surely he would be home from
school. While I waited for a reply, I crept slowly down the hall towards his bedroom. Pulling
the front of my shirt over my nose, I rapped on his door, quietly at first, then with more
trepidation.
“Brother, you here?” I called.
Yet again, no answer.
Feeling defeated, I made my way back down the hall towards the kitchen and wondered
what could be going on. The odor wasn’t like anything I had ever smelled before.
Just as I placed my backpack on the back of the kitchen chair, my mom busted through
the back door.
“GET OUT!” she screeched.
I didn’t even have a chance to respond. She clutched my arm and virtually threw me
right out the back door.
“Where have you been?” she said, with a sense of urgency in her voice.
“Um, where have you been?” I retorted, “and what’s that terrible smell?”
Just then, a truck pulled up in front of the house.
“I drove to your school to pick you up because I didn’t want you to come home. I must
have missed you. Dad and Sam are at the neighbors,” she replied.
A man appeared at the back gate.
“We’re here to investigate a gas leak,” he said.
“A gas leak?” I mumbled.
Wow! Gas really does stink, I thought.
More Context Clues: Passage One
Name: ___________________________ Date: ____________
Choose the best answer for each question.
1. What word could replace revolting in the reading passage?
a. crazy b. uneasy c. disgusting d. fabulous
2. What word could replace desperate in the reading passage?
a. sweet b. quiet c. excited d. urgent
3. What do you think the word singe means?
a. to burn b. to become damp c. to fall out
d. to get dirty
4. What do you think the word hesitantly means?
a. quickly b. cautiously c. loudly d. playfully
5. What word could replace proceeded in the reading passage?
a. paused b. ran c. stopped d. continued
6. What word could replace intensifying in the reading passage?
a. escalating b. decreasing
c. dwindling d. annoying
7. How does the reading passage provide a context clue for the meaning of the word trepidation?
a. by providing a synonym b. by providing an antonym c. by underlining the word d. by spelling it correctly
8. What word can you use
to help you understand the word urgency?
a. sense b. currency c. gent d. urgent
©Kirst
en T
ulsian
More Context Clues: Passage One
9. Create a list of synonyms for the word PUTRID:
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
1. What word could replace revolting in the reading passage?
a. crazy b. uneasy c. disgusting d. fabulous
2. What word could replace desperate in the reading passage?
a. sweet b. quiet c. excited d. urgent
3. What do you think the word singe means?
a. to burn b. to become damp c. to fall out
d. to get dirty
4. What do you think the word hesitantly means?
a. quickly b. cautiously c. loudly d. playfully
5. What word could replace proceeded in the reading passage?
a. paused b. ran c. stopped d. continued
6. What word could replace intensifying in the reading passage?
a. escalating b. decreasing
c. dwindling d. annoying
7. How does the reading passage provide a context clue for the meaning of the word trepidation?
a. by providing a synonym b. by providing an antonym c. by underlining the word d. by spelling it correctly
8. What word can you use
to help you understand the word urgency?
a. sense b. currency c. gent d. urgent
©Kirst
en T
ulsian
More Context Clues: Passage One
9. Create a list of synonyms for the word PUTRID:
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Answer Key
disgusting, terrible, rancid, rotting, foul, smelly, strong, stinky
Name: ___________________________ Date: ____________
Choose the best answer for each question.
Context Clues Resources The pages found in this product are sample pages
from the following Context Clues products.
The context clues products below follow the same format, but have been created for 3rd-5th grade.
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