Question

Use the sentence to complete the activity.

Carlos was ambidextrous, so, when he sprained his right wrist, he was still able to throw accurately with this left hand.

In 3–5 sentences, define ambidextrous and explain how both the context clues and word parts can help you discover the word’s meaning.

Answer 1

Ambidextrous means able to use both hands equally well. The context clue in the sentence — that Carlos sprained his right wrist but could still throw accurately with his left — shows he can perform the same skill with either hand. The word parts also help: ambi- means “both,” and dextr- (from Latin dexter) relates to the right hand or skillfulness, so ambidextrous literally suggests being skillful with both hands.