Vocabulary synonym exercise worksheet with sentences and multiple-choice answers.
Worksheet with vocabulary exercises asking students to replace underlined words with the most appropriate synonym from multiple-choice options.
JPG
1000×1194
144.1 KB
Free · Personal Use
Quality Assured by Worksheets Library Team
Reviewed for educational accuracy and age-appropriateness
ID: #269314
⭐
Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Meaning in Context Clues worksheet
▼
Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Meaning in Context Clues worksheet
Let's go through each sentence one by one, identify the underlined word, and choose the best synonym from the options based on context clues.
---
1. The lost campers *sweltered* in the heat of the desert sun.
- Sweltered means to suffer from extreme heat.
- Clue: "in the heat of the desert sun" → implies intense heat.
- A. ate — unrelated
- B. burned — could make sense (burning from heat), but not quite right; “burned” is more about fire or damage
- C. slept — no
- D. sunbathed — implies enjoying the sun, not suffering
✔ Best match: B. burned — although not perfect, it’s the closest among the choices. But actually, “burned” might be too strong. However, “sweltered” means to feel extremely hot and uncomfortable, so “burned” can imply that sensation.
But wait — let's reconsider. “Burned” is not ideal because sweltering isn't literal burning. None are perfect, but B. burned is better than others.
Wait — perhaps we're missing a better option? Let's look again.
Actually, “sunbathed” implies relaxation in the sun — opposite of suffering.
So the best choice here is likely B. burned, as it reflects discomfort from heat.
✔ Answer: B. burned
---
2. Congress put a *tariff* on overseas goods so the price would not be lower than domestic products.
- Tariff = tax on imported goods.
- Clue: "so the price would not be lower" → raises cost → tax
- A. stamp — no
- B. prohibition — banning something, not raising price
- C. ad — meaningless here
- D. tax — yes, exactly what a tariff is
✔ Answer: D. tax
---
3. The scared rock climber balanced *precariously* on the edge of the cliff.
- Precariously = dangerously, unsteadily
- Clue: "scared" and "edge of the cliff" → danger
- A. gracefully — opposite
- B. lazily — doesn’t fit
- C. dangerously — yes! matches “scared” and “edge of cliff”
- D. hopefully — not relevant
✔ Answer: C. dangerously
---
4. We often travel to New England in the autumn to see the bright colors of the fall *foliage*.
- Foliage = leaves
- Clue: “bright colors of the fall” → trees changing color → leaves
- A. hurricane — weather event, not related
- B. plays — no
- C. snow — winter, not fall
- D. leaves — yes
✔ Answer: D. leaves
---
5. Each student was allotted two tickets to the dance.
- Allotted = given, assigned, allowed
- Clue: “was allotted” → received a portion
- A. allowed — close, but “allowed” means permitted, not necessarily given
- B. joyful — emotion, irrelevant
- C. taken — opposite
- D. fed — no
Wait — “allotted” means officially assigned or given. So “allowed” is the closest in meaning.
But “allowed” means permission, while “allotted” means distributed.
Still, among the choices, A. allowed is best.
Alternatively, think: “Each student was allowed two tickets.” That makes sense.
Yes, “allowed” fits.
✔ Answer: A. allowed
---
6. The mood was *somber* at the funeral of the former president.
- Somber = serious, solemn, sad
- Clue: “funeral” → serious, respectful atmosphere
- A. shyly — adverb, doesn’t match noun
- B. serious — yes, fits “mood” and funeral
- C. hungry — no
- D. plenty — no
Note: “Somber” is an adjective, and the sentence says “the mood was somber”, so we need an adjective.
“Serious” is the best match.
✔ Answer: B. serious
---
7. The country cottage was just outside the quaint and *picturesque* town.
- Picturesque = beautiful, charming, visually appealing
- Clue: “quaint” and “town” → small, attractive place
- A. charming — yes, very close
- B. running — no
- C. ruined — opposite
- D. perhaps — adverb, doesn’t fit
“Quaint” and “picturesque” are synonyms — both mean pleasingly old-fashioned or attractive.
✔ Answer: A. charming
---
8. When he didn’t understand the instructions, the student asked the teacher to *clarify* them.
- Clarify = make clear, explain
- Clue: “didn’t understand” → needs explanation
- A. remove — no
- B. call — no
- C. explain — yes
- D. stop — no
✔ Answer: C. explain
---
9. The impudent boy was rude to the policeman.
- Impudent = disrespectful, bold, insolent
- Clue: “rude to the policeman” → shows lack of respect
- A. handsome — appearance, irrelevant
- B. carefully — adverb, not matching
- C. poor — no
- D. bold — yes, boldness implies rudeness, especially when disrespectful
“Bold” here means overconfident or daring in a rude way.
✔ Answer: D. bold
---
10. Cold rain fell all day, making it a *dismal* Saturday afternoon.
- Dismal = depressing, gloomy, cheerless
- Clue: “cold rain fell all day” → bad weather, no fun
- A. gloomy — yes, matches “dismal”
- B. red — no
- C. shining — opposite
- D. fun — opposite
✔ Answer: A. gloomy
---
1. B. burned
2. D. tax
3. C. dangerously
4. D. leaves
5. A. allowed
6. B. serious
7. A. charming
8. C. explain
9. D. bold
10. A. gloomy
---
Let me know if you'd like this formatted for printing or as a worksheet!
---
1. The lost campers *sweltered* in the heat of the desert sun.
- Sweltered means to suffer from extreme heat.
- Clue: "in the heat of the desert sun" → implies intense heat.
- A. ate — unrelated
- B. burned — could make sense (burning from heat), but not quite right; “burned” is more about fire or damage
- C. slept — no
- D. sunbathed — implies enjoying the sun, not suffering
✔ Best match: B. burned — although not perfect, it’s the closest among the choices. But actually, “burned” might be too strong. However, “sweltered” means to feel extremely hot and uncomfortable, so “burned” can imply that sensation.
But wait — let's reconsider. “Burned” is not ideal because sweltering isn't literal burning. None are perfect, but B. burned is better than others.
Wait — perhaps we're missing a better option? Let's look again.
Actually, “sunbathed” implies relaxation in the sun — opposite of suffering.
So the best choice here is likely B. burned, as it reflects discomfort from heat.
✔ Answer: B. burned
---
2. Congress put a *tariff* on overseas goods so the price would not be lower than domestic products.
- Tariff = tax on imported goods.
- Clue: "so the price would not be lower" → raises cost → tax
- A. stamp — no
- B. prohibition — banning something, not raising price
- C. ad — meaningless here
- D. tax — yes, exactly what a tariff is
✔ Answer: D. tax
---
3. The scared rock climber balanced *precariously* on the edge of the cliff.
- Precariously = dangerously, unsteadily
- Clue: "scared" and "edge of the cliff" → danger
- A. gracefully — opposite
- B. lazily — doesn’t fit
- C. dangerously — yes! matches “scared” and “edge of cliff”
- D. hopefully — not relevant
✔ Answer: C. dangerously
---
4. We often travel to New England in the autumn to see the bright colors of the fall *foliage*.
- Foliage = leaves
- Clue: “bright colors of the fall” → trees changing color → leaves
- A. hurricane — weather event, not related
- B. plays — no
- C. snow — winter, not fall
- D. leaves — yes
✔ Answer: D. leaves
---
5. Each student was allotted two tickets to the dance.
- Allotted = given, assigned, allowed
- Clue: “was allotted” → received a portion
- A. allowed — close, but “allowed” means permitted, not necessarily given
- B. joyful — emotion, irrelevant
- C. taken — opposite
- D. fed — no
Wait — “allotted” means officially assigned or given. So “allowed” is the closest in meaning.
But “allowed” means permission, while “allotted” means distributed.
Still, among the choices, A. allowed is best.
Alternatively, think: “Each student was allowed two tickets.” That makes sense.
Yes, “allowed” fits.
✔ Answer: A. allowed
---
6. The mood was *somber* at the funeral of the former president.
- Somber = serious, solemn, sad
- Clue: “funeral” → serious, respectful atmosphere
- A. shyly — adverb, doesn’t match noun
- B. serious — yes, fits “mood” and funeral
- C. hungry — no
- D. plenty — no
Note: “Somber” is an adjective, and the sentence says “the mood was somber”, so we need an adjective.
“Serious” is the best match.
✔ Answer: B. serious
---
7. The country cottage was just outside the quaint and *picturesque* town.
- Picturesque = beautiful, charming, visually appealing
- Clue: “quaint” and “town” → small, attractive place
- A. charming — yes, very close
- B. running — no
- C. ruined — opposite
- D. perhaps — adverb, doesn’t fit
“Quaint” and “picturesque” are synonyms — both mean pleasingly old-fashioned or attractive.
✔ Answer: A. charming
---
8. When he didn’t understand the instructions, the student asked the teacher to *clarify* them.
- Clarify = make clear, explain
- Clue: “didn’t understand” → needs explanation
- A. remove — no
- B. call — no
- C. explain — yes
- D. stop — no
✔ Answer: C. explain
---
9. The impudent boy was rude to the policeman.
- Impudent = disrespectful, bold, insolent
- Clue: “rude to the policeman” → shows lack of respect
- A. handsome — appearance, irrelevant
- B. carefully — adverb, not matching
- C. poor — no
- D. bold — yes, boldness implies rudeness, especially when disrespectful
“Bold” here means overconfident or daring in a rude way.
✔ Answer: D. bold
---
10. Cold rain fell all day, making it a *dismal* Saturday afternoon.
- Dismal = depressing, gloomy, cheerless
- Clue: “cold rain fell all day” → bad weather, no fun
- A. gloomy — yes, matches “dismal”
- B. red — no
- C. shining — opposite
- D. fun — opposite
✔ Answer: A. gloomy
---
✔ Final Answers:
1. B. burned
2. D. tax
3. C. dangerously
4. D. leaves
5. A. allowed
6. B. serious
7. A. charming
8. C. explain
9. D. bold
10. A. gloomy
---
Let me know if you'd like this formatted for printing or as a worksheet!
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of 6th grade context clues worksheet.
