Really Good Stuff Activity Guide
Let Context Clues Solve Your Word Mysteries Poster
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Let Context Clues Solve Your Word Mysteries Poster.
Inside this Really Good Stuff® package you'll find:
• Let Context Clues Solve Your Word Mysteries Poster
• This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide
Let Context Clues Solve Your Word Mysteries
Poster Activities
This unique poster allows you to introduce the active
reading skill of identifying and utilizing context clues to
improve reading comprehension. You may introduce each
of the poster's sub-skills individually, allowing students
to practice each skill before progressing to the next one.
You may also choose to introduce using context clues as
a comprehensive activity, practicing all eight skills with
each reading activity. Before introducing the poster to
students, make a copy of this Really Good Stuff®
Activity Guide.
Introducing the Let Context Clues Solve Your Word
Mysteries Poster
Display the following sentence: "Planted among the roses
and daisies, the clematis was one of the most colorful
_________________ in the garden." Read the sentence
aloud, and ask students what they think a clematis is.
(answer: flower). Lead students to tell how they arrived
at that answer. (word clues: 1) planted; 2) roses, daisies;
3) garden). Explain that the words and ideas that
surround a specific word make up its context and give
clues to that word's meaning. Note that there are other
ways that a word's context may offer clues. Show the
Let Context Clues Solve Your Word Mysteries Poster,
reading aloud the eight context clue categories depicted
on it.
Examples as Context Clues
Write the following examples on a chalkboard or dry erase
board. Ask students to quietly decide the meaning of
each underlined word. Then ask students to explain which
words they used to help them make their decisions.
Circle the correct answer:
1. Robins, bluebirds, and finches build nests in trees.
In this sentence, a finch is a kind of
a) tree c) bird
b) chipmunk d) nest
2. To flavor my homemade chili, I added salt, pepper, chili
powder, and cumin.
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
In this sentence, cumin is a kind of
a) meat c) soup
b) spice d) cereal
3. In Connecticut, every autumn we rake leaves from
maples, birches, oaks, and willows that grow around
our house.
In this sentence, willows are
a) rivers c) nuts
b) weeds d) trees
4. As we toured the United Nations headquarters in New
York, we heard English, Spanish, Serbo-Croatian,
and German.
In this sentence, Serbo-Croatian is a
a) language c) person's name
b) country d) band
Ask students to make up their own sentences using
examples as context clues, leaving out the underlined
words. Then students can share their sentences with a
partner, allowing the partner to figure out the missing
word based on the examples.
Definitions as Context Clues
Explain to students that sometimes the definition of a
difficult word is included in the sentence, separated from
the word by a comma. Write the following example on
the board:
The cattle were disturbed by a pack of coyotes, small
wolves that live in the western United States.
Ask a student to tell the class what a coyote is, and
which words the student used to figure out the meaning
of coyote. Then give students another example:
Ibises, wading birds having long slender down-curved bills,
live in warm regions of the world.
Again, ask students to identify the meaning of the word
and the context clue that enabled them to determine it.
Provide students with the following words and definitions.
Ask them to create sentences using the definitions as
context clues.
1. polygraph: a lie detector machine
2. hart: a full-grown male European red deer
3. botany: the science that deals with plants
All activity guides can be found online:
© 2005 Really Good Stuff
®
1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com #154218
Really Good Stuff Activity Guide
®

Let Context Clues Solve Your Word Mysteries Poster

Comparisons as Context Clues
Directions: Complete each sentence, comparing each word/phrase with something else that explains its meaning.
You may use a dictionary if you'd like.
Example: The Kentucky Derby reminded me of a NASCAR race, except that the Derby had fast horses instead of
fast cars.

1. A hedgehog is an animal that looks like a

2. Reveille sounds like

3. The United State of America has been called a melting pot because it is like

4. Cumulus clouds look like

Contrasts as Context Clues

Circle the correct answer.
1. Instead of living in the city with other people, she chose to be a recluse.
In this sentence, recluse means
a) vegetarian c) one who lives alone
b) teacher d) government leader

2. The dry air in the Arizona desert was unlike the humid air in the gulf towns of Louisiana.
In this sentence, humid means
a) hot c) cool
b) windy d) moist

3. The librarian instructed us to use hushed voices, unlike the raucous sounds we'd made in
gym class.
In this sentence, raucous means
a) loud c) happy
b) angry d) serious

4. Louisa was well prepared with an organized clear speech, unlike Tara's presentation which was inarticulate.
In this sentence, inarticulate means
a) entertaining c) persuasive
b) unclear d) brief

Helping Teachers Make A Difference® © 2005 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com #154218
Really Good Stuff Activity Guide
®

Let Context Clues Solve Your Word Mysteries Poster

Synonyms as Context Clues
Directions: Use each listed word and its synonym in a sentence.
Example: bank : row (a noun)
There it was, a row of trees, a bank of birches, swaying in the breeze.

1. banister : a handrail (a noun)

2. radiant : bright (an adjective)

3. decay : rot (a noun or a verb)

4. sylvan : wooded (an adjective)

Antonyms as Context Clues

Directions: In each sentence, underline the antonym of each italicized word.
Example: Rather than being careful to avoid danger, she behaved in a reckless way.

1. Instead of freeing the suspects, the officers were detaining them.

2. I expected my family to be ecstatic to see me, but they were very angry that I'd left school without permission.

3. Jennifer's pompous behavior was in contrast to the modest actions of other students in her class.

4. Windsor Castle's posh rooms were nothing like the simple homes of the townspeople.

Helping Teachers Make A Difference® © 2005 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com #154218
Really Good Stuff Activity Guide
®

Let Context Clues Solve Your Word Mysteries Poster

Prefixes as Context Clues
A prefix is a syllable or a group of syllables added to the beginning of a word; a prefix may change the meaning of
a word.
Common prefixes include:
anti- (against) in- (not)
dis- (not) ir- (not)
il- (not) inter- (between/among)
im- (not)

Directions: Referring to the list above, after each word below, write its meaning.
Example: immoral - not moral
discomfort - not comfortable

1. international ________________________________________________________________________________.

2. disagree____________________________________________________________________________________.

3. inactive _____________________________________________________________________________________.

4.interoffice___________________________________________________________________________________.

5.irreplaceable_________________________________________________________________________________.

6.antiperspirant_______________________________________________________________________________.

7. immature ____________________________________________________________________________________.

Suffixes as Context Clues

A suffix is a syllable or group of syllables added to the end of a word; a suffix sometimes changes the meaning of
a word.
Common suffixes include:

-able (capable of) -er/or (occupation of / identity of)

-ful (full of) -less (without)
-ward (in the direction of)

Directions: From the word bank, select a base word and add the suffix that will match one of the definitions below.
Example: capable of reason - reason + able = reasonable

cloud teach cheer west navigate

help sky window inflate move

1. in the direction of the sky 6. without windows

2. able to be moved 7. in the direction of the west

3. without clouds 8. one who navigates

4. one who teaches 9. capable of being inflated

5. full of help 10. full of cheer

Helping Teachers Make A Difference® © 2005 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com #154218