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When you encounter a vocabulary word with which you are unfamiliar, what do you do? Use the context clues to determine the word's meaning. In addition to the great context clues worksheets on this page, check out this free context clues game that I made. Students learn hundreds of challenging vocabulary words while playing a fun climbing game.
I used the context clues worksheets on this page to help my students in the classroom. I am sharing them with you in the hopes that they will help you as well. The words have been selected from texts recommended by Common Core. These context clues worksheets have been divided into three levels:
Context Clues Worksheets by Level
- Level 1 - 3rd-6th Grade Vocabulary Words
- Level 2 - 5th-8th Grade Vocabulary Words
- Level 3 - 8th-12th Grade Vocabulary Words
Level One
These are the easiest context clues worksheets. These worksheets were designed to help struggling students or students in lower grades. They were written to help students reading at a 3rd to 6th grade reading level. Be sure to preview all materials before using them in your classroom.
Context Clues Worksheet 1.1 This level one context clues worksheet covers 12 words that may be challenging for beginning readers. Students determine each words meaning based on context and then explain their answers.Level Two
These worksheets were designed for students with intermediate reading and vocabulary skills. They are written for students reading at a 5th to 8th grade reading level.
Context Clues Worksheet 2.1 Here's the first level two content clues worksheet. Level 2 worksheets contain vocabulary and use sentence structures that are more difficult than level 1 context clues worksheets. This worksheet features 12 tricky vocabulary words used in context-rich sentences. Students figure out the meaning of each word based on use, then they explain their answers.Level Three
These are the most difficult context clues worksheets. These were designed for students with advance reading and vocabulary skills. These worksheets may be appropriate for students reading at an 8th to 12th grade level.
Context Clues Worksheet 3.1 Here's the first level-three content clues worksheet. This worksheet features twelve challenging problems where students figure out the bold word's meaning based on the context of the sentence. Students also demonstrate higher order thinking skills by explaining their answers.What are Context Clues?
Context clues are hints in the sentence that help good readers figure out the meanings of unfamiliar words. When we look at the "context" of a word, we look at how it is being used. Based on how these words are used, and on our knowledge of the other words in the sentence, we make an educated prediction as to what the challenging vocabulary word may mean.
Example of Using Context Clues
Examine these lines from Lewis Carroll's poem, "Jabberwocky":
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!
Jubjub, frumious, and Bandersnatch were NOT words before Carroll coined them. Yet readers are able to get meaning from them based on how the words are used. A reading of the whole poem is helpful way to introduce context clues to your students.
Free Context Clues Video Game
Context Clues Climber: Vocabulary Video Game
Are your students sick of vocabulary worksheets? Have them try this fun, high-interest computer game. Students climb to the tops of levels and answer over 500 vocabulary questions. They will be having so much fun, they won't even realize that they are studying vocabulary. Try it now!
Context Clues
Common Core State Standards
Context Clues Anchor Standards
R.4 - Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
RI.K.4 - With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
RI.1.4 - Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text.
RI.2.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area.
RI.3.4 - Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
RI.4.4 - Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
RI.5.4 - Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.
RI.6.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
RI.7.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
RI.8.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.
RI.9-10.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper).
RI.11-12.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
Click to VIEW Grade Level Standards for R.4
L.4 - Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.
L.K.4 - Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on kindergarten reading and content.
L.1.4a - Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
L.2.4a - Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
L.3.4 - Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade 3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
L.4.4a - Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
L.5.4 - Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies
L.6.4a - Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
L.7.4 - Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
L.8.4 - Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
L.9-10.4a - Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
L.11-12.4 - Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11–12 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
Click to VIEW Grade Level Standards for L.4
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151 Comments
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Carl Anthony Peterson
/August 24, 2023
Excellent worksheet/resources to use to help your young person build and increase their vocabulary. Thank you sharing!
Reply
Trevina Gima
/August 21, 2023
Coming from a country where english is our third or 4th language but its also our language of instruction
YOUR MATERIALS HERE ARE AWSOME
I REALLY THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE BEAUTIFUL MATERIALS
TREVINA GIMA
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Juleby S. Reyes
/May 31, 2023
I would like to express my warmest gratitude for these worksheets. It helps us educators to intensify the skills of students in reading comprehension through context clues.
Thank you!
God Bless and More Power!Reply
Ree
/March 27, 2023
thank you so much. These worksheets are helpful.
Reply
Jessa
/September 23, 2022
you are very generous to have share this very helpful to me as
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