Context Clues Quiz

Grade 3 · English · Quiz

Practice using context clues to figure out unknown words.

Questions

1. What do context clues help you do?

   1. Spell words correctly
   2. Figure out the meaning of unknown words
   3. Write better sentences
   4. Find the main idea
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   Answer: Figure out the meaning of unknown words

   Context clues are a reading strategy for decoding unfamiliar vocabulary without a dictionary.

2. In 'She was elated, or extremely happy, when she won,' the word 'elated' most likely means ___.

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   Answer: extremely happy

   The synonym clue 'or extremely happy' directly follows 'elated,' defining it.

3. A definition clue directly tells you what a word means in the sentence.

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   Answer: True

   Definition clues are the most direct — the author literally tells you what the word means.

4. In 'Unlike the swift cheetah, the turtle moved slowly,' the context clue type for 'swift' is:

   1. example
   2. definition
   3. antonym
   4. restatement
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   Answer: antonym

   'Unlike' signals a contrast. 'Slow' (turtle) is the opposite of 'swift' (cheetah), defining swift as fast.

5. The signal words 'such as,' 'for example,' and 'like' signal which type of context clue?

   1. synonym
   2. antonym
   3. definition
   4. example
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   Answer: example

   These signal words introduce examples — concrete instances that define the broader word.

6. Context clues only work if you stop reading and look up every unknown word first.

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   Answer: False

   Context clues let you keep reading and figure out meaning from the text itself.

7. In 'Reptiles — cold-blooded animals with scales — live on every continent,' the dashes signal a ___ clue.

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   Answer: restatement

   Dashes often signal a restatement — the same idea said again in different words.

8. What does 'arid' most likely mean in: 'The desert is arid. Nothing grows there because of the extreme dryness.'?

   1. hot
   2. sandy
   3. very dry
   4. cold
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   Answer: very dry

   The next sentence restates the meaning: 'extreme dryness' defines 'arid.'

9. Good readers use context clues automatically as they read.

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   Answer: True

   Fluent readers develop an automatic habit of scanning surrounding text for meaning clues.

10. In 'He was courageous, which means very brave,' what type of clue is used?

    1. antonym
    2. definition
    3. example
    4. restatement
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    Answer: definition

    'Which means' is a classic signal for a direct definition clue.

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