Vocab Strategy: Context Clues
Five Major Types that YOU
Need to Know

Learning Target:
• I can identify different types of context clues.
• I can determine the meaning of unknown words when I read.

So, what does it mean when you use
“context clues?”
• Using context clues simply means that you use other words around an unknown word in order to figure out the UNKNOWN word’s meaning.

Try to determine the meaning of the bolded word in the sentence below.
I am so flappygutter that I am going to eat a whole pizza by myself!!
What is the meaning of the word “flappygutter?”
A. mad
B. hungry
C. melancholy
D. loquacious

Try to determine the meaning of the bolded word in the sentence below.
I am so flappygutter that I am going to eat a whole pizza by myself!!
What is the meaning of the word “flappygutter?”
A. mad
B. hungry
C. melancholy
D. loquacious

How do you KNOW that you have chosen the correct meaning?!
Replace the word “hungry” with the word
“flappygutter” and see if the sentence makes sense.
I am so hungry that I am going to eat a whole pizza by myself!!
Yes, this word makes sense, so you are correct!!

There are five MAJOR types of context clues that YOU need to know:
1. denotation and synonym clues
2. comparison clues
3. contrast clues
4. explanation clues
5. example clues

• Sometimes defining an unfamiliar word is easy because a familiar synonym is stated DIRECTLY in the sentence.
Example:
Practicing deception with a teacher—lying and cheating—will get you sent to the principal’s office!
Notice the dash AFTER the word “deception” is giving you DIRECT info with synonyms of the word meaning. Nice.

So, what is the meaning of the word “deception?”
Practicing deception with a teacher—lying and cheating—will get you sent to the principal’s office!
Yep. The synonyms of “lying and cheating” were directly stated in the sentence between the dash punctuation marks to help you determine the meaning of the word “deception.”

• Other times defining an unfamiliar word is easy peasy because its denotation is stated DIRECTLY in the sentence.
Example:
Stabbing yourself with a fanfan, sharp objects such as knives or pointed scissors, can result in a trip to the ER!!
Notice the comma AFTER the word “fanfan” is giving you DIRECT info with the denotation of the word meaning.

Determine the meaning of the word in bold using your newly learned knowledge of determining word meanings through denotation.
Oh man! I just totally blarped, or wrecked, my car over the weekend!
A. bought
B. sold
C. blew up
D. wrecked

Determine the meaning of the word in bold using your newly learned knowledge of determining word meanings through denotation.
Oh man! I just totally blarped, or wrecked, my car over the weekend!
A. bought
B. sold
C. blew up
D. wrecked

Oh man! I just totally blarped, or wrecked, my car over the weekend!
A. bought
B. sold
C. blew up
D. wrecked
Hello! The definition of the word “blarped” is RIGHT there explicitly stated after the comma punctuation mark in the sentence!

• an unfamiliar word is used in comparison with a familiar word or group of words
• These are clues showing you how an unfamiliar word is LIKE another word!

Try to determine the meaning of the bolded word in the sentence below.
The children huddled around their teacher like baby chicks around a mother hen.
What is the meaning of the word “huddled?”
A. crowded together
B. ran away
C. threw pencils
D. sang songs

Try to determine the meaning of the bolded word in the sentence below.
The children huddled around their teacher like baby chicks around a mother hen.
What is the meaning of the word “huddled?”
A. crowded together
B. ran away
C. threw pencils
D. sang songs

How do you KNOW that you have chosen the correct meaning?!
Replace the words “crowded together” with the word
“huddled” and see if the sentence makes sense.
The children crowded together around their teacher like baby chicks around a mother hen.
Yes, this word makes sense, soooooo you are correct!!
The simile in the sentence tells you HOW the children were around the teacher in comparison to baby chicks around a mother hen.
Can you visualize this as well?!

The children ran away around their teacher like baby chicks around a mother hen.
The children threw pencils around their teacher like baby chicks around a mother hen.
The children sang songs around their teacher like baby chicks around a mother hen.
Remember, if an answer doesn’t SOUND right, then the answer probably ISN’T right. 

• an unfamiliar word is used in contrast to a
familiar word or group of words
• These are clues showing you how an unfamiliar word is UNLIKE another word!

Try to determine the meaning of the bolded word in the sentence below.
Unlike Robin, who is full of life, Rachel is
lackluster.
What is the meaning of the word “lackluster?”
A. full of energy
B. hateful, or hostile
C. not full of life
D. melancholy, or sad

Try to determine the meaning of the bolded word in the sentence below.
Unlike Robin, who is full of life, Rachel is
lackluster.
What is the meaning of the word “lackluster?”
A. full of energy
B. hateful, or hostile
C. not full of life
D. melancholy, or sad

Unlike Robin, who is full of life, Rachel is lackluster.
What is the meaning of the word “lackluster?”
C. not full of life
So, Rachel is NOT full of life in contrast to Robin who IS full of life.
This is how Rachel is in COMPARISON to Robin because the sentence began with “Unlike Robin”.
Got it?

Test your newly acquired knowledge!
Which type of context clue does the following sentence use:
I feel very discombobulated, or out of sorts, when I don’t have coffee in the morning!
A. synonym clue
B. denotation clue
C. comparison clue
D. contrast clue

Test your newly acquired knowledge!
I feel very discombobulated, or out of sorts, when
I don’t have coffee in the morning!
A. synonym clue
B. denotation clue (uses a comma and then “or”)
C. comparison clue
D. contrast clue

Test your newly acquired knowledge!
Which type of context clue does the following sentence use:
Did you see that malevolent gribby—teacher– walking into the cafeteria with her list of kids for detention?!
A. synonym clue
B. denotation clue
C. comparison clue
D. contrast clue

Test your newly acquired knowledge!
Did you see that malevolent gribby—teacher– walking into the cafeteria with her list of kids for detention?!
A. synonym clue
B. denotation clue
C. comparison clue
D. contrast clue

Sometimes you might…
• Think that the “denotation clue” and the
“synonym clue” are VERY much alike?
• Well, join the club because…they are!
• The central idea is that you recognize HOW to determine an unknown word’s meaning through finding the denotation OR synonym and then choosing the correct answer!