Context Clues — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. "The resilient plant grew back after the drought." Resilient means:
A) Fragile
B) Able to recover quickly
C) Very tall
D) Colorful
"Grew back after the drought" is an example clue showing resilient means able to recover or bounce back.
2. "Tools such as hammers, saws, and drills are essential for building." What clue type helps define essential?
A) Antonym
B) Example
C) Definition
D) Synonym
"Such as" introduces specific examples (hammers, saws, drills) that illustrate what tools are.
3. "The abundant harvest filled every basket; no one went hungry." Abundant means:
A) Small
B) Plentiful
C) Late
D) Rotten
"Filled every basket; no one went hungry" provides an example clue that abundant means plentiful or more than enough.
4. "Her tone was stern, not gentle, when she spoke to the class." Which word is an antonym clue for stern?
A) Tone
B) Spoke
C) Gentle
D) Class
"Not gentle" directly contrasts with stern, making gentle the antonym clue that reveals stern's meaning.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. In "The obsolete phone had no modern features," obsolete means outdated .
"No modern features" is an inference/definition clue that obsolete means no longer useful or outdated.
2. The word "however" can signal that an antonym is about to appear.
Contrast words like "however," "but," and "yet" signal antonym clues that provide an opposite meaning.
3. In "The pungent smell of onions filled the room," pungent means strong and sharp .
Pungent describes a strong, sharp smell — the context of onions helps clarify this meaning.
4. Multiple-meaning words require readers to examine the full sentence before choosing a definition.
The full sentence provides the context needed to determine which meaning of a multiple-meaning word applies.
5. In "The diligent worker finished every task on time," diligent means hardworking and careful .
"Finished every task on time" suggests diligent means consistently hardworking and careful.