Name: _____________________________
Context Clues 3.3

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. intrepid: One might think that the child would be afraid of such a large animal, but the intrepid young girl ran up to the beast and began scratching it behind the ears. 

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition?

2. servile: Janet disliked the servile students, the ones who were always volunteering to help the teacher grade papers or clean the board. 

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition?

3. derision: Clyde could no longer tolerate the derision of his classmates, who would refer to him by no other name than Potty-Pants Clyde, so he transferred schools. 

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition?

4. implore: I implore the school board members and administrators to take a closer look at cyber-bullying as it is practiced in our community, and take action against it before another senseless tragedy occurs. 

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition?

5. incline: He offered me twenty dollars to eat a dragonfly. I need money so badly that I am inclined to accept his challenge.

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition?

6. incessant: John could not focus on the assignment with the incessant chatting that was occurring all around him. 

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition?

7. felicity: When John received the job offer, he was so overcome with felicity that he could barely find the words to accept it. 

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition?

8. discreet: The librarian won't take away your candy, so long as you are considerate and consume it in a discreet manner.

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition?

9. inconsequential: Since our team will not make the playoffs this year, the results of the remaining games are pretty much inconsequential. 

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition?

10. dilapidation: Several houses on Larry's block had been foreclosed years ago. With no concerned homeowners to maintain these properties, these houses have fallen into various states of dilapidation. 

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition?

11. prudence: This political landscape is full of dangers so a good politician must exercise prudence in their policymaking. 

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition?

12. boisterous: The teacher was afraid to take the boisterous students into the library. She knew that the gymnasium was a setting that would better match their moods. 

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition?