Words with special meanings in articles
Grade 6 Reading Worksheet

Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Tracking School Recycling (article)
[1] A school newspaper article calls verified data the backbone of its recycling report. [2] One thread connects the sections on bins, paper, and monthly totals. [3] A clear lens helps readers notice which grade collected the most paper.
Ari reads the article. What does backbone mean here?
- courage during a hard task
- a spine
- a report section on recycling bins
- main support
Bo reads the article. What does lens mean here?
- a camera part for focus
- a monthly total for recycling
- curved glass for an eye
- a viewpoint
Esme reads the article. What does thread mean here?
- a line in an online discussion
- a linking idea
- a total from one month
- sewing yarn
Helping Families Connect (article)
[1] A community article says the translation team became a bridge by explaining forms in several languages and carrying questions back to the school office. [2] The weekly schedule was an anchor that kept volunteers steady during busy afternoons. [3] The team left a smaller footprint by sending fewer paper notices.
Jun reads the article. What does bridge mean here?
- a group connection
- a river crossing
- a school office for families
- a card game for four players
Saving Water in a Garden (article)
[1] A garden article explains that a morning pulse of water reaches newly planted seedlings through narrow drip tubes. [2] The root of one leak was a loose connector at a drip tube. [3] After weeks of talks, volunteers called the group's list of ideas a harvest.
Milo reads the article. What does pulse mean here?
- a tube beside a plant
- a short burst of flow
- a beat felt in a wrist
- a bean or lentil seed
Noah reads a garden repair note. What does root mean here?
- a drip tube for water
- a plant part under soil
- a square root
- a problem cause
Pia reads the article. What does harvest mean here?
- water flowing in tubes
- a result of effort
- crops gathered from a field
- a season of farm work
A Lunch-Waste Plan (article)
[1] A cleanup article says student questions became fuel for reducing lunch waste. [2] One question was the spark for the team's plan to count unopened food and sort containers. [3] The first poster caused a ripple of new ideas in other classrooms.
Ren reads the article. What does fuel mean here?
- material burned for energy
- food stored by the body
- an action driver
- unopened food for the count
Tala reads the article. What does ripple mean here?
- a count of unopened food
- a small wave on water
- a wrinkle in cloth
- a spreading effect
Zee reads the article. What does spark mean here?
- an idea starter
- the first poster
- a lively person full of energy
- a tiny flash from fire