Vocabulary in context

Understanding word meanings from context clues in sentences

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Try each question. If you're stuck, leave it and come back. The answer key is on the last page.

1
The ferocious dog growled at the postman. What does 'ferocious' mean? A) Fierce and aggressive B) Small and fluffy C) Tired and sleepy D) Friendly and calm
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2
The children were famished after the long walk, so they ate everything on their plates. What does 'famished' mean? A) Very hungry B) Very tired C) Very happy D) Very cold
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3
The ancient castle was dilapidated - its walls were crumbling and the roof had caved in. What does 'dilapidated' mean? A) Falling apart and in poor condition B) Newly built and shiny C) Very large and impressive D) Hidden and secret
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4
What does 'enormous' mean in: 'The enormous whale glided past.'? A) very small B) very large C) very fast D) very loud
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5
Match each word to its meaning based on how it is used in context. Match each item on the left to one on the right. Left: cautious (She was cautious crossing the busy road), jubilant (The jubilant crowd cheered loudly), peculiar (There was a peculiar smell in the room), serene (The lake looked serene in the morning light) Right: careful, overjoyed, strange, peaceful
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6
The teacher commended the pupil for her excellent work. 'Commended' means ___. The teacher commended the pupil for her excellent work. 'Commended' means ___.
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7
Match each underlined word to its meaning in the sentence. Match each item on the left to one on the right. Left: The weary traveller collapsed into bed, The nimble cat leapt onto the fence, His remark was quite blunt, The corridor was deserted at midnight Right: exhausted, quick and agile, direct and rude, empty
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8
The two countries formed an alliance to protect each other. An 'alliance' is a ___. The two countries formed an alliance to protect each other. An 'alliance' is a ___.
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9
The politician's speech was deliberately ambiguous so that people on both sides could agree with it. What does 'ambiguous' mean? A) Having more than one meaning B) Very clear and direct C) Extremely long D) Full of jokes
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10
Despite the team's unanimous decision, Jake disagreed. 'Unanimous' means everyone ___. Despite the team's unanimous decision, Jake disagreed. 'Unanimous' means everyone ___.
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Answer key

Vocabulary in context · for parents and teachers

1
Fierce and aggressive
'Ferocious' means fierce and aggressive. The context clue is 'growled', which shows the dog is unfriendly.
2
Very hungry
'Famished' means extremely hungry. The clue is that they 'ate everything on their plates' after a long walk.
3
Falling apart and in poor condition
The sentence explains 'dilapidated' directly: walls crumbling and roof caved in means it is in very poor condition.
4
very large
'Enormous' means very large or huge.
5
cautious (She was cautious crossing the busy road) → careful; jubilant (The jubilant crowd cheered loudly) → overjoyed; peculiar (There was a peculiar smell in the room) → strange; serene (The lake looked serene in the morning light) → peaceful
Context clues in each sentence help you work out the word's meaning: cautious = careful, jubilant = overjoyed, peculiar = strange, serene = peaceful.
6
praised
'Commended' means praised or congratulated. You can tell because the work was 'excellent', so the teacher's response would be positive.
7
The weary traveller collapsed into bed → exhausted; The nimble cat leapt onto the fence → quick and agile; His remark was quite blunt → direct and rude; The corridor was deserted at midnight → empty
Each sentence gives clues: collapsing = weary/exhausted; leaping = nimble/agile; blunt remark = direct/rude; midnight corridor = deserted/empty.
8
partnership
An 'alliance' is a partnership or agreement between groups who work together for a common goal - here, protection.
9
Having more than one meaning
'Ambiguous' means having more than one possible meaning. The clue is that people on 'both sides' could agree - it must be unclear enough for different interpretations.
10
agreed
'Unanimous' means everyone agreed or was in complete agreement. 'Despite' signals that Jake was the exception to this agreement.