Final answer:
The phrase 'failed to score' provides a context clue for the definition of the word futile, which means unable to produce any useful result and is synonymous with pointless or fruitless.
Step-by-step explanation:
The context clue for the definition of the word futile from the given options is A. failed to score. The word futile typically means that something is incapable of producing any useful result; it's pointless. So, out of the given phrases, 'failed to score' best provides a context clue for futile, as it implies an action that did not achieve its intended goal, much like the definition of futile.