CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.4
The Standard
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Language Standards
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students figure out unfamiliar or multiple-meaning words by using sentence clues, word parts, and reference tools. They select a useful strategy and check that the meaning fits the passage.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students use context, word parts, and reference tools to find a meaning that fits the passage. They can explain their choice with a specific clue and revise it when new information appears.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may choose the first dictionary definition without checking whether it fits the sentence. They may also treat familiar-looking words as having only one meaning or ignore helpful prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
How to Assess It
- Give students a short paragraph with one bold word that has several meanings. Ask them to define it, name the strategy they used, and cite one clue.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs word-part cards to build unfamiliar words, predict each meaning, and verify their predictions with a dictionary.
Ask students to write which context clue best reveals a bold word’s meaning and explain why another possible meaning does not fit.
Play Context Clue Match by having teams pair sentence cards with definition cards and defend each match for a point.
Examine words from menus, sports reports, or weather alerts, then compare how the same word changes meaning across settings.
Free download
Printable L.4.4 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.4, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
Download the worksheetBefore This Standard
If students are struggling here, check these first.
What This Unlocks
Mastery here sets students up for these next.
Keep exploring
Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.4
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strate...
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.4
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strat...
Turn this exact standard into a lesson
Grade, subject, topic, and the complete standard are prefilled. Create one free, no account needed.