- It was chilly outside, so Jo put on her warm coat.
What does chilly mean in this sentence?
Answer: a little cold
The clue is the "warm coat." People wear a warm coat when the air is cold, so chilly means a little cold. A coat would not help with noise, darkness, or dry air.
- Nia could put both hands all the way around the slender tree.
What does slender mean in this sentence?
Answer: thin
The clue is that Nia could reach "both hands all the way around" the tree. Only a thin tree is small enough for that, so slender means thin. A tree can also be tall, old, or green, but the clue is about how far around the tree is, not how high or how old.
- Ben had to clutch the rope so he would not fall.
What does clutch mean in this sentence?
Answer: hold tight
The clue is "so he would not fall." To stay up on a rope you must grip it firmly, so clutch means hold tight. Letting go would make him fall, and looking or calling would not keep him up.
- We had to duck so the ball would not hit us.
What does duck mean in this sentence?
Answer: to move down fast
The word duck has more than one meaning. The clue is "so the ball would not hit us," which tells what the children did with their bodies, so here duck means to move down fast. A bird that swims is also a real meaning of duck, but a bird is not something you can do. Yelling for help would not stop the ball, and duck does not name a kind of ball.
- The hungry dog will gobble his food in one minute.
What does gobble mean in this sentence?
Answer: eat fast
Two clues help here: the dog is "hungry" and he finishes "in one minute." Doing something to food that fast means eating quickly, so gobble means eat fast. The other choices are things a dog does, but none of them fit what happens to the food.
- The sturdy box did not break when Max sat on it.
What does sturdy mean in this sentence?
Answer: strong
The clue is that the box "did not break" when Max sat on it. A box that holds a person without breaking is strong, so sturdy means strong. Being empty, shiny, or round would not keep a box from breaking.
- Grandma will mend my coat because the pocket has a hole.
What does mend mean in this sentence?
Answer: fix
The clue is that "the pocket has a hole." What you do to a coat with a hole is repair it, so mend means fix. Washing or folding the coat would not close the hole, and the coat already belongs to the speaker.
- The box was so light that Emma could lift it with one hand.
What does light mean in this sentence?
Answer: not heavy
The word light has more than one meaning. The clue is that Emma could "lift it with one hand," which tells about weight, so here light means not heavy. Light can also mean not dark, or name a lamp, or describe a pale color, but none of those explains why the box was easy to lift.
- The timid puppy hid behind the chair when we came in.
What does timid mean in this sentence?
Answer: shy
The clue is that the puppy "hid behind the chair" when people came in. An animal that hides from people is shy, so timid means shy. A loud, old, or fast puppy would not have to hide.
- Ana looked glum when her best friend moved away.
What does glum mean in this sentence?
Answer: sad
The clue is that her best friend "moved away." A child whose best friend leaves would feel sad, so glum means sad. Nothing in the sentence suggests being proud, sleepy, or brave.
- The grass was still damp from the rain last night.
What does damp mean in this sentence?
Answer: a little wet
The clue is "from the rain." Rain leaves grass a little wet, so damp means a little wet. Rain would not make grass hot, hard, or new.
- The elephant used its trunk to spray water on its back.
What does trunk mean in this sentence?
Answer: a long nose
The word trunk has more than one meaning. The clue is that the elephant used it to "spray water," which an elephant does with its long nose. A box, a tree part, and a car part are all real meanings of trunk, but an elephant cannot spray water with any of those.
- After the long hike, Tim was so weary that he fell asleep.
What does weary mean in this sentence?
Answer: tired
The words "fell asleep" are the clue. Someone who falls asleep after a long hike is tired, so weary means tired. The other choices name feelings that nothing in the sentence points to.
- The little mice scamper away when they see the cat.
What does scamper mean in this sentence?
Answer: run quickly
The clue is that the mice do this "when they see the cat." Mice getting away from a cat move fast, so scamper means run quickly. Falling, eating, or sleeping would not help them escape.
- Dad had to murmur his answer so he would not wake the baby.
What does murmur mean in this sentence?
Answer: talk softly
The clue is that Dad did not want to "wake the baby." Giving an answer without waking someone means speaking very quietly, so murmur means talk softly. Singing or shouting would wake the baby, and he did give an answer, so he did not say nothing.
