CONTEXT CLUES
Definition
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When we are reading and we come across a word we
don’t know the meaning of, we can use context clues to
help us determine what the word means.
Context clues are words or phrases surrounding an
unknown word that can help a reader determine what
the unknown word means.
While the dictionary can be helpful, sometimes we don’t
need the dictionary – we can figure it out all on our
own.
Types of context clues
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There are four types of context clues:
 Definition
or Restatement clues
 Synonym clues
 Antonym or Contrast clues
 Example or Explanation clues
Definition or Restatement Clues
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A definition or restatement clue is when the meaning of the
vocabulary word is in the sentence, usually following the
vocabulary word.
Example:
I entered the living room and sat down on the
davenport, large sofa, to read to my daughter.
Synonym Clues
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A synonym clue is when there is a word similar to the
vocabulary word that helps explain the meaning of the word.
Example:
 The cake was beautiful, but sadly it was bland and
tasteless.
Antonym or Contrast Clues
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An antonym or contrast clue is when a word or phrase is
later contrasted to something that is the opposite of what
our unknown word means.
Example:
The youngest boy was very reticent, but his older
brother was quite outgoing.
Example or Explanation Clues
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An example or explanation clue is when examples or explanations
are used to help the reader infer the meaning of the vocabulary word.
Examples:
That man’s penmanship is quite horrible. I can barely read a word
he writes; it looks like a child scribbled everywhere.
Practice
Can we figure out the meaning of the underlined words in the following
sentences?
This diving board is quite pliant, or flexible.
Because no one showed up at her birthday party, my little sister felt forlorn
and began to cry.
We tried everything we could, but we could not solve the problem. It had
left us perplexed, and I began to grow angry because I hate not being
able to figure something out.
Her comment was valuable and important, but his was irrelevant.