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4th-6th
Grade
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If you teach in a multi-level classroom,

have students with a very wide range
of needs, or are meeting the needs of
students with varying language abilities
or students acquiring English, the
MULTI-LEVEL MEGA BUNDLE for Context
Clues might be right for you (it includes
every product on this page).
What are Context Clues?
Context Clues are words or groups
of words that give clues about the
meaning of an unknown word.

You can use context clues in a sentence

or paragraph to determine the meaning
of an unknown word in any type of
reading passage.

Context Clues can show up in text

as examples, definitions, synonyms,
antonyms, or contrasts. Sometimes
the general context or feel of the
writing can also provide clues
that help readers determine
the meaning of unknown words.
©Kirsten’s Kaboodle
 Examples as Clues
Sometimes specific examples are used
in writing to help readers understand
difficult (or unknown) words.

The following words or phrases are

indicative of this type of context clue:

• such as
• including
• consists of
• like
• for example

Example:
This neighborhood is full of decrepit houses, like the ones on
the corner with the broken windows and busted down doors.

In this sentence, the writer gives specific examples of the

word decrepit related to houses in the neighborhood. These
examples provide clues about the meaning of that word.

©Kirsten’s Kaboodle
 Synonyms or Definitions
as Clues
Sometimes synonyms or definitions
are used in writing to help readers
understand difficult (or unknown) words.

In these cases, you might see

a comma after the unknown word,
followed by a synonym or short
definition of that word.

Example:
If you take candy into your classroom, you
many want to conceal, or hide it, by placing it
between your notebooks.

In this sentence, the writer uses a synonym

for the word hiding to provide a clue about
the definition of the word conceal.
©Kirsten’s Kaboodle
 Antonyms or
Contrasts as Clues
Sometimes antonyms (or contrasts) are
used in writing to help readers understand
difficult (or unknown) words. In these
cases, the writer may use an obvious
antonym. In other cases, an idea or thing
is compared to show a contrast.

Example:
When I order a brand new product, I expect
it to be perfect, not defective like the one
I received in the mail today.

In this sentence, the writer uses a contrast for the

word defective (perfect). Even if the reader doesn’t know
the definition of the word defective, he/she can use the
contrast of the word perfect to determine that the
word defective means faulty, broken, or imperfect.

©Kirsten’s Kaboodle
 Name: ______________________ Date: _____________
Use context clues to determine the meaning of the underlined words in the following
passage. Use the passage to answer the questions on the following pages.

What Stinks?
Opening the door into my house was like bumping into a wall of the nastiest smell in the
whole world.
“Mom?” I called.
There was no answer, so I proceeded to the kitchen in search of clues. Could it be
rotten food in the refrigerator? Hesitantly, I pulled the refrigerator door open, but quickly
realized that the odor wasn’t coming from the fridge. It was just too revolting to be rotting
vegetables or rotten milk.
“Dad?” I yelled.
I was met with silence. The putrid smell seemed to be intensifying. I felt like my nose
hairs were starting to singe and burn.
“Sam?” I screamed in a much more desperate tone. Surely he would be home from
school. While I waited for a reply, I crept slowly down the hall towards his bedroom. Pulling
the front of my shirt over my nose, I rapped on his door, quietly at first, then with more
trepidation.
“Brother, you here?” I called.
Yet again, no answer.
Feeling defeated, I made my way back down the hall towards the kitchen and wondered
what could be going on. The odor wasn’t like anything I had ever smelled before.
Just as I placed my backpack on the back of the kitchen chair, my mom busted through
the back door.
“GET OUT!” she screeched.
I didn’t even have a chance to respond. She clutched my arm and virtually threw me
right out the back door.
“Where have you been?” she said, with a sense of urgency in her voice.
“Um, where have you been?” I retorted, “and what’s that terrible smell?”
Just then, a truck pulled up in front of the house.
“I drove to your school to pick you up because I didn’t want you to come home. I must
have missed you. Dad and Sam are at the neighbors,” she replied.
A man appeared at the back gate.
“We’re here to investigate a gas leak,” he said.
“A gas leak?” I mumbled.
Wow! Gas really does stink, I thought.
More Context Clues: Passage One ©Kirsten’s Kaboodle
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ____________
Choose the best answer for each question.
5.  What word could replace
1.  What word could replace revolting
proceeded in the reading passage?
in the reading passage?
a. paused
a. crazy
b. ran
b. uneasy
c. stopped
c. disgusting
d. continued
d. fabulous
6.  What word could replace
2.  What word could replace intensifying in the reading passage?
desperate in the reading passage?
a. escalating
a. sweet b. decreasing
b. quiet c. dwindling
c. excited d. annoying
d. urgent
7.  How does the reading passage
3.  What do you think the word singe provide a context clue for the
means? meaning of the word trepidation?
a. to burn a. by providing a synonym
b. to become damp b. by providing an antonym
c. to fall out c. by underlining the word
d. to get dirty d. by spelling it correctly
4.  What do you think the word 8.  What word can you use
hesitantly means? to help you understand
the word urgency?
a. quickly
b. cautiously a. sense
c. loudly b. currency
d. playfully c. gent
d. urgent

9. Create a list of synonyms for the word PUTRID:

__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
More Context Clues: Passage One ©Kirsten’s Kaboodle
 Name: ___________________________
Answer Key Date: ____________
Choose the best answer for each question.
5.  What word could replace
1.  What word could replace revolting
proceeded in the reading passage?
in the reading passage?
a. paused
a. crazy
b. ran
b. uneasy
c. stopped
c. disgusting
d. continued
d. fabulous
6.  What word could replace
2.  What word could replace intensifying in the reading passage?
desperate in the reading passage?
a. escalating
a. sweet b. decreasing
b. quiet c. dwindling
c. excited d. annoying
d. urgent
7.  How does the reading passage
3.  What do you think the word singe provide a context clue for the
means? meaning of the word trepidation?
a. to burn a. by providing a synonym
b. to become damp b. by providing an antonym
c. to fall out c. by underlining the word
d. to get dirty d. by spelling it correctly
4.  What do you think the word 8.  What word can you use
hesitantly means? to help you understand
the word urgency?
a. quickly
b. cautiously a. sense
c. loudly b. currency
d. playfully c. gent
d. urgent

9. Create a list of synonyms for the word PUTRID:

disgusting, terrible, rancid, rotting, foul, smelly, strong, stinky
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
More Context Clues: Passage One ©Kirsten’s Kaboodle
 for
Digital Use
 Getting Started Using This Digital Product:
Step 1
Before you click the link below, login to the Google account
where you want to store this product, which is probably the
one linked to your students’ accounts.
Step 2
Once you click the link, you will be asked to make a copy.
Making a copy keeps the original document intact. Now, you
have your own copy in your Google Drive account.

Step 3
Open up the file and make sure that you like it! This is now
your copy of the document, so if you need to change or add
anything to ensure student success, go ahead!

Click on the Product Title Below:

LINK FOR GOOGLE SLIDES
NOTE: Students must be signed into their Google account.
 Separate Each Page/Activity
The entire product is in one slideshow. If you would like to
assign just one page/activity, you can create a new
slideshow with that specific page.
Right click the specific slide, copy the slide, and paste into a
new slideshow.

Create a new
slideshow and
paste the
copied slide
into it.

Click on the Product Title Below:

LINK FOR GOOGLE SLIDES
 Sharing with students:
Google Classroom (option 1):
To me, the fastest and easiest way is to post to Google Classroom on
the Stream or in Classwork. Click the plus sign and create an
assignment.

Find THE PRODUCT on your drive, give it a name, and then post!
 Sharing with students:
Sharing the link (option 2)
Giving students the link
If you don’t use Google Classroom, it is still simple to share this product
through drive, email, or posted on the board.

To give students the

link, click get
shareable link. This
You can enter link can be projected,
student’s emails shared on a doc, etc.
here.

This link can be

projected, shared on
a doc, etc.
 Ipads or Tablets?

After your student has hit MAKE A COPY, open up the

slideshow from the slides app!

Now, go to the slideshow by opening the app. It should be the

first slideshow in the app!
 TERMS OF USE:
• Purchasing this product allows the purchaser the right to reproduce this
product for his/her class. Duplication for an entire team, school, or school
district is strictly forbidden. If other teachers would like copies of this
product, please direct them to my website or kindly purchase additional
licenses for those teachers through my TPT store.
• You may not reproduce, redistribute, or post this item on a blog or website
for download (free or paid). Copying any part of this product (even for a
classroom website) is also in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
• You may not modify, copy, or alter this product in any way.
• Please feel free to spread the word about this product via social media or
blog post. A link to the product (or my website) is much appreciated.

DESIGN CREDITS:
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©Kirsten’s Kaboodle