Use context to identify the meaning of a word

Key Notes :

What are Context Clues?

Context clues are hints found within a sentence or paragraph that help you understand the meaning of a new or unfamiliar word. Think of them as detective clues that lead you to the word’s secret meaning!

Types of Context Clues

Let’s learn about some super-helpful context clues:

Definition Clues:

The sentence might tell you what the word means directly!

Example Clues:

Example Clues:

The sentence might give you examples of the word.

Synonym Clues:

The sentence might use a word that means the same as the unknown word.

Antonym Clues:

The sentence might use a word that means the opposite of the unknown word. This helps you understand what the word isn’t.

Examples

Let’s look at some examples to see how context clues work their magic!

Example 1: Definition Clue

“The arachnid, which is an animal with eight legs, spun a web.” What does arachnid mean?

Clue: “…an animal with eight legs…”

Meaning: An arachnid is an animal with eight legs (like a spider!).

Example 2: Example Clue

“My mom bought a bouquet of flowers, like roses, lilies, and daisies, for the table.” What is a bouquet?

Clue: “…roses, lilies, and daisies…”

Meaning: A bouquet is a bunch of flowers.

Example 3: Synonym Clue

“The baby was tiny, or very small.” What does tiny mean?

Clue: “…or very small…”

Meaning: Tiny means very small.

Example 4: Antonym Clue

“The opposite of sad is to be ecstatic, very, very happy!” What does ecstatic mean?

Clue: “The opposite of sad… very very happy!”

Meaning: Ecstatic means very, very happy!

Let’s practice!