Meaning Clues
About This Worksheet
This Grade 7 reading activity teaches students how to use visual clues to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word. The photograph shows a tired runner bent over while another person offers support, and the target word is “exhausted.” Students examine body position, facial expression, and the race setting to work out the meaning. For example, the runner’s slumped posture and need for help suggest being extremely tired rather than simply disappointed.
Learning Goals
The main goal is to help students understand that images can provide context clues just as sentences and paragraphs do. Students should already be able to observe facial expressions, actions, and physical details. This worksheet moves them toward using those details to explain word meaning and then apply the word correctly. It supports CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.4 and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.7, which focus on determining meaning through context and interpreting visual information.
Student Tasks
On this worksheet, students will study the race image and list three details that help explain the word “exhausted.” They will write what the word most likely means based on the visual evidence. Students then explain in two or three sentences how the image supports their definition. The final task asks them to use “exhausted” correctly in a new sentence of their own.
Common Challenges
Some students may define the word too generally as “sad” or “hurt” because of the runner’s expression. Others may understand the meaning but fail to connect it to visible evidence. Remind them to look at the whole situation, including the physical effort, body posture, and need for assistance. A useful question is, “What does the person’s body tell you about how much energy is left?”
Teaching Suggestions
A teacher can cover the word at first and ask students to describe what the runner seems to be experiencing. Once students share words such as tired, worn out, or drained, reveal the target vocabulary term. At home, a parent can ask the child to act out being tired and then being exhausted so the difference becomes clearer. This makes the new word easier to remember and use accurately.
Worksheet Features
The page combines one target word with a large, expressive photograph and several guided steps. Students move from observation to definition, explanation, and original application. The task provides vocabulary practice without requiring a dictionary or long reading passage. This worksheet works well for context clues, visual literacy, word study, or a quick language warm-up.