Context Clues

Exercise A

Directions: read each sentence and determine the meaning of the word using cross sentence
clues or your prior knowledge. Then, explain what clues in the sentence helped you determine
the word meaning.

1. amass: By making his lunches and not spending his lunch money, Ali was able to amass
enough to pay for his first semester of college.

Definition: ____________________________________________________________________

2. anxious: Whenever Bob was more than an hour late, Suzy became very anxious.

Definition: ____________________________________________________________________

3. seize: The police officer seized the firework from the underage children.

Definition: ____________________________________________________________________

4. shun: Kamal thought that parties were a waste of time, money, and energy, so he shunned
these social events.

Definition: ____________________________________________________________________

5. glimpse: When the teacher dropped her grade book, Megat got a glimpse of the grade
sheet. Now he is sad because he thinks that he saw an F next to his name.

Definition: ____________________________________________________________________

6. weary: After studying for twelve hours straight, Rose was growing weary.

Definition: ____________________________________________________________________
Context Clues

Exercise B

Directions: read each sentence and determine the meaning of the word using cross sentence
clues or your prior knowledge. Then, explain what clues in the sentence helped you determine
the word meaning.

1. jovial: Unlike Richard, who treated others rudely and kept to himself, Lim was jovial, friendly,
and outgoing.

Definition: ____________________________________________________________________

2. contradict: Adam felt conflicted because the things he learned in science class contradicted
what his mother had taught him about the sea.

Definition: ____________________________________________________________________

3. extraordinary: Alwi had hoped that with his extraordinary athletic abilities he would get a
college scholarship, but he injured his knee in the final year.

Definition: ____________________________________________________________________

4. contemplate: I am disappointed, but I have nothing more to say. I will leave you to
contemplate how your mother will react to this news.

Definition: ____________________________________________________________________

5. audacious: Julia was so audacious as to take the pen out of the businessman's pocket and
begin writing the check for him.

Definition: ____________________________________________________________________

6. detest: Everyone else at the group wanted vegetarian pizza but Timah because she
detested vegetables.

Definition: ____________________________________________________________________