Dictionary Skills and Guide Words Worksheets - Free Printable

Let's solve each part of this worksheet step by step and explain the reasoning.

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① Write these words in alphabetical order

Words to sort:
- simple
- funnel
- principle
- plenty
- choose
- oasis
- office
- pound
- target
- shack
- timber
- corner

#### Step-by-step sorting:
We will compare the first letter of each word:

1. choose
2. funnel
3. office, oasis
4. plenty, pound
5. simple, shack
6. target, timber
7. corner (starts with 'c', but comes after 'choose' because 'cor' vs 'cho')
8. principle (starts with 'p', so after 'plenty' and 'pound')
9. target, timber – need to compare second letters: 'a' vs 'i' → 'a' comes before 'i' → target, then timber

Now let’s organize them properly:

1. choose (c)
2. corner (c) — wait! Compare 'choose' and 'corner':
- 'choose' = c-h-o-o-s-e
- 'corner' = c-o-r-n-e-r
First letter: both 'c'
Second letter: 'h' vs 'o' → 'h' comes before 'o' → choose comes before corner

So:
- choose
- corner
- funnel
- office
- oasis
- plenty
- pound
- principle
- simple
- shack
- target
- timber

Wait — let's double-check all:

List all words again:
- choose
- corner
- funnel
- office
- oasis
- plenty
- pound
- principle
- simple
- shack
- target
- timber

Now sort by first letter:

- c: choose, corner → choose (c-h), corner (c-o) → h < o → choose, corner
- f: funnel
- o: office, oasis → office (o-f), oasis (o-a) → a < f → oasis, office
- p: plenty, pound, principle → p-l, p-o, p-r → l < o < r → plenty, pound, principle
- s: simple, shack → s-i, s-h → h < i → shack, simple
- t: target, timber → t-a, t-i → a < i → target, timber

Final alphabetical order:

1. choose
2. corner
3. funnel
4. oasis
5. office
6. plenty
7. pound
8. principle
9. shack
10. simple
11. target
12. timber

✔ Answer for ①:
```
1. choose
2. corner
3. funnel
4. oasis
5. office
6. plenty
7. pound
8. principle
9. shack
10. simple
11. target
12. timber
```

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② Watch [woch]

Definitions:
1. verb – To be on the lookout for something
2. verb – To be careful or cautious
3. noun – Something you use to tell time

#### Sentence 1: *"My watch is slow, that is why I’m late."*

- "Watch" here refers to a device used to tell time.
- So, definition 3 (noun) is correct.

✔ Answer: ③

#### Sentence 2: *"On your walk, watch for the neighbor’s lost dog."*

- This means "be on the lookout for" → definition 1

✔ Answer: ①

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Clutter [kluht-er]

Definitions:
1. verb – To fill or litter in an unorganized way
2. noun – An unorganized pile

Sentence: *"Mom told me to pick up my clutter before I went outside to play."*

- "Clutter" here is a thing (an unorganized pile) that needs to be picked up.
- So it's being used as a noun → definition 2

✔ Answer: Definition 2

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Lapse [laps]

Definitions:
1. noun – A brief failure
2. noun – The time that passes between two events
3. verb – To come to an end
4. verb – To drop off or fall little by little

#### Sentence 1: *"We returned to school after a lapse of two weeks."*

- "A lapse of two weeks" means a period of time passed.
- So it's referring to time between events → definition 2

✔ Answer: Definition 2

#### Sentence 2: *"Tom had a lapse in judgment when he took the candy without permission."*

- "Lapse in judgment" means a momentary failure in thinking.
- That matches definition 1: a brief failure.

✔ Answer: Definition 1

(Note: The choices given are "Definition 2" and "Definition 3", but the correct one is Definition 1, which is not listed as an option. But looking at the options provided, perhaps there's a typo.)

Wait — let's check what's written:

> Which definition is used in the sentence below?
> Tom had a lapse in judgment...
> □ Definition 2
> □ Definition 3

But Definition 1 is the correct one, yet it's not listed as an option.

That might be an error in the worksheet. However, based on the definitions provided, "lapse in judgment" clearly means a brief failure → Definition 1.

But since only Definition 2 and Definition 3 are given as options, and neither fits perfectly, we must assume a mistake.

But if we have to pick from the available choices:
- Definition 2: "The time that passes..." → doesn't fit
- Definition 3: "To come to an end" → doesn't fit

Neither is correct. But Definition 1 is missing.

However, in many contexts, "lapse in judgment" is synonymous with "brief failure", so Definition 1 is correct.

Possibility: The worksheet has a typo. It should include Definition 1 as an option.

But assuming the options are correct, perhaps they meant Definition 1 to be labeled differently?

Alternatively, maybe the numbering is off.

Wait — let's recheck:

The definitions are:
1. noun – A brief failure
2. noun – Time between events
3. verb – To come to an end
4. verb – To drop off

"Lapse in judgment" is a noun phrase meaning a failure.

So it's Definition 1.

But the checkbox says:
□ Definition 2
□ Definition 3

So neither is correct.

This appears to be an error in the worksheet.

✔ Correct answer: Definition 1 — but it's not among the options.

So either:
- The worksheet has a typo, or
- We should report that Definition 1 is correct, even though it's not listed.

But since we must choose from the options, and neither fits, we can say:

👉 The correct answer is Definition 1, but it is not listed. There may be a mistake in the worksheet.

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✔ Final Answers Summary:

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#### ① Alphabetical Order:
1. choose
2. corner
3. funnel
4. oasis
5. office
6. plenty
7. pound
8. principle
9. shack
10. simple
11. target
12. timber

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#### ② Watch:
- "My watch is slow..." → ③ (noun: time-telling device)
- "watch for the dog" → ① (verb: to be on the lookout)

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#### Clutter:
- "pick up my clutter" → Definition 2 (noun: unorganized pile)

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#### Lapse:
- "a lapse of two weeks" → Definition 2 (time between events)
- "lapse in judgment" → Definition 1 (brief failure) — but not listed; likely a typo in worksheet.

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📌 Final Notes:

- For "lapse in judgment", the correct definition is Definition 1, but it's not an option. This is likely a printing error.
- Always double-check definitions and context.

Let me know if you'd like a corrected version of the worksheet!