Context Clues Practice Questions

  1. Read the sentence and determine the meaning of the underlined word.
The desert was arid, with very little rainfall throughout the year.
  1. crowded
  2. dry
  3. dangerous
  4. windy
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The correct answer is B!

The clue “very little rainfall” shows that arid means dry.

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  1. Read the sentence and determine the meaning of the underlined word.
After hiking all day, Marcus felt completely fatigued and could barely keep his eyes open.
  1. overwhelmed
  2. confused
  3. tired
  4. excited
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The correct answer is C!

The phrase “could barely keep his eyes open” suggests that fatigued means tired.

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  1. Which phrase from the sentence helps the reader understand the meaning of timid?
The little puppy was very timid, hiding behind the couch whenever visitors arrived.
  1. “The little puppy”
  2. “was very timid”
  3. “hiding behind the couch”
  4. “whenever visitors arrived”
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The correct answer is B!

The phrase “hiding behind the couch” helps readers understand that timid means shy or fearful.

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  1. Read the sentence and determine the meaning of the underlined word.
The instructions were vague, leaving many students unsure about what to do next.
  1. unclear
  2. detailed
  3. helpful
  4. incorrect
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The correct answer is A!

The clue “unsure about what to do next” shows that vague means unclear or confusing.

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  1. Which definition best matches the meaning of captivated in the sentence below?
The audience was captivated by the performance and watched the stage in complete silence.
  1. ignored
  2. fascinated
  3. motivated
  4. distracted
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The correct answer is B!

The audience’s complete attention to the stage suggests that captivated means fascinated.

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  1. Which word is closest in meaning to hazardous as it is used in the sentence?
Because of the icy roads, the drive to the mountains was extremely hazardous.
  1. dangerous
  2. relaxing
  3. quick
  4. delayed
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The correct answer is A!

The clue “icy roads” suggests that hazardous means dangerous.

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  1. Read the sentence and determine the meaning of the underlined word.
Lena tried to conceal her surprise, but her wide eyes revealed how shocked she was.
  1. express
  2. hide
  3. explain
  4. record
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The correct answer is B!

The phrase “but her wide eyes revealed” suggests that Lena was trying to hide her surprise.

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  1. Which word is the opposite of lenient as it is used in the sentence?
The teacher’s lenient grading policy allowed students to redo assignments for full credit.
  1. patient
  2. strict
  3. flexible
  4. fair
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The correct answer is B!

Because students were allowed to redo assignments, lenient means not strict, so the opposite is strict.

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  1. What does dilapidated mean in the sentence below?
The old cabin looked dilapidated, with broken windows and a roof full of holes.
  1. damaged
  2. cheap
  3. old
  4. crowded
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The correct answer is A!

The details about broken windows and holes in the roof suggest that dilapidated means damaged or falling apart.

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  1. What type of context clue is used in the sentence below?
The forest was dense, or packed closely together with trees and plants.
  1. synonym
  2. antonym
  3. definition
  4. example
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The correct answer is C!

The phrase “packed closely together” directly defines the word dense, therefore it is a definition.

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  1. Read the sentence and determine the meaning of the underlined word.
The detective was known for being observant, noticing tiny details others ignored.
  1. curious
  2. attentive
  3. impatient
  4. careless
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The correct answer is B!

The clue “noticing tiny details” shows that observant means attentive.

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  1. Which detail from the sentence helps explain the meaning of abundant?
After the long drought, the farmers were grateful for the abundant rainfall that filled their empty ponds.
  1. “After the long drought”
  2. the farmers were grateful”
  3. the rainfall”
  4. “filled their empty ponds”
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The correct answer is D!

The phrase “filled their empty ponds” suggests that abundant means plentiful.

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  1. Read the sentence and determine the meaning of the underlined word.
The comedian’s jokes created a lively atmosphere, and the audience laughed throughout the show.
  1. cheerful
  2. quiet
  3. awkward
  4. tense
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The correct answer is A!

The audience laughing throughout the show indicates that lively means cheerful and energetic.

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  1. What does mediate most likely mean in the sentence below?
The principal tried to mediate the disagreement between the two students before it became a larger conflict.
  1. continue
  2. avoid
  3. settle
  4. describe
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The correct answer is C!

The clue about preventing a “larger conflict” suggests that mediate means to help settle a disagreement.

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  1. Which phrase helps readers understand the meaning of generous?
Jasmine gave a generous donation to the community center, contributing far more money than anyone expected.
  1. “Jasmine gave”
  2. a donation”
  3. “to the community center”
  4. “far more money than anyone expected”
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The correct answer is D!

The phrase “far more money than anyone expected” helps readers understand that generous means giving a large amount.

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