What is meant by using context clues to infer the meanings of words?

A reader can often use context clues to get the gist of a passage. However, some passages make those guesses impossible. Sometimes, you will come across text that does not offer clear support for difficult words. In those cases, you will need a dictionary.

A dictionary will contain the most comprehensive list of various definitions for a single word. You can use either a book or an electronic source for a dictionary, but be aware: all valid dictionaries include the word meaning, pronunciation, etymology and usage. Each of these elements will add insight to the author’s purpose. Remember to look at all the definitions before applying meaning to the original sentence. There will even be times you will look up words that you think you know. For example, look up the simple word “crib.” As you can see, crib means more than an infant’s bed.

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