Like I do with many language skills, I like initially introducing context clues explicitly, one type at a time.

The 5 main types of context clues that I teach are:

Definition: This clue defines the word, or tells you what it means.

Synonym: This clue tells you another word that means the same thing.

Antonym: This clue tells you another word that means the opposite.

Example: This clue gives you some examples of what the word means.

Inference: This type of clue gives you hints so you can make a smart guess about what the word means.

And remember… most of the time, you need to read or hear a word many times before you’ll remember what it means. Context clues help to give you information to better understand words you might not know yet, but they don’t fully define unfamiliar words.

If you want to see my Comprehensive Context Clues resource that breaks down these 5 types and includes everything you need to teach context clues, click here!