Homonyms

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SSAT Elementary Level Verbal › Homonyms

Questions 1 - 10
1

Complete this analogy.

Sight is to site as __________ is to dye.

die

ink

color

vision

hearing

Explanation

In this set of problems we are going to practice "homonyms." "Homonyms" are words that sound the same, or are spelled the same, but which have different meanings. An example of a "homonym" is "weigh and way." These two words have different meanings, yet sound exactly the same. In this problem "sight" and "site" sound the same but have different meanings, the first refers to seeing, vision and the second refers to location, a place. So, which of these words sounds the same as "dye?" The correct answer is "die."

2

Complete this analogy.

__________ is to cache as dear is to deer.

Cash

Buck

Moose

Cause

Antler

Explanation

In this set of problems we are going to practice "homonyms." "Homonyms" are words that sound the same, or are spelled the same, but which have different meanings. An example of a "homonym" is "bye and buy." These two words have different meanings, yet sound exactly the same. In this problem "dear" and "deer" are homonyms, so which of these words sounds the same as "cache?" The correct answer is "cash." Additionally, a "buck" is a male deer.

3

Complete this analogy.

Allowed is to __________ as flour is to flower.

aloud

forbidden

accepted

plant

grow

Explanation

In this set of problems we are going to practice "homonyms." "Homonyms" are words that sound the same, or are spelled the same, but which have different meanings. An example of a "homonym" is "dear and deer." These two words have different meanings, yet sound exactly the same. So, in this analogy "flower" sounds like "flour," which of these words sounds like "allowed?" The correct answer is "aloud." Additionally, "forbidden" means prohibited, not allowed.

4

Complete this analogy.

Feet is to feat as __________.

knew is to new

try is to tree

pop is to burst

milk is to milkshake

right is to wrong

Explanation

Since "feet" and "feat" sound exactly the same when pronounced, they are homonyms, and we need to pick out another pair of words that sound the same when pronounced. While "try" and "tree" might look somewhat similar, they don't sound exactly alike, so "try is to tree" cannot be the correct answer. "Knew" and "new" sound exactly alike when pronounced, however, so "knew is to new" is the correct answer.

5

Complete this analogy.

Sear is to seer as __________ is to dough.

doe

money

bread

flower

flour

Explanation

"Sear" which means burn and "seer" which means person who can see the future are homonyms because they have different meanings, yet sound the same. So, to solve this analogy you need to figure out which of these words sounds the same as "dough." The correct answer is "doe." To help you, "dough" is either slang for money or a mixture used to make bread and "doe" is a female deer.

6

Complete this analogy.

Steal is to __________ as tighten is to titan.

steel

rob

loot

giant

loosen

Explanation

"Tighten" and "titan" are "homonyms." "Homonyms" are two words that sound the same, but have different meanings. To solve this analogy you need to determine which of these words sounds the same as "steal," but has a different meaning. The correct answer is "steel." Additionally, "tighten" means to make something more tight; a "titan" is something gigantic; "steel" is a very hard and strong metal; "loot" and "rob" both mean the same thing as "steal."

7

Complete this analogy.

Some is to __________ as tide is to tied.

sum

loose

all

math

shape

Explanation

"Tied" means joined together with something (like string) and "tide" means the pattern of the rising and falling of the sea. These two words are "homonyms," so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these words sounds the same as "some." The correct answer is "sum," which means total amount when all parts are added up, product when the numbers are added together. Additionally, "loose" means not tight.

8

Complete this analogy.

Cede is to seed as flea is to __________.

flee

insect

mosquito

bite

grow

Explanation

"Seed" and "cede" (give up) are "homonyms," so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these words sounds the same as "flea" (small, bloodsucking insect). The correct answer is "flee," which means run away from.

9

Blue is to blew as . . .

buy is to bye

whiskers are to cat

electricity is to refrigerator

river is to water

green is to grass

Explanation

Since "blue" is pronounced in exactly the same way as "blew," the two words are called homonyms. We need to find another answer choice in which the two words are also homonyms. Because "buy" is pronounced in exactly the same way as "bye," they are homonyms and the correct answer is "buy is to bye."

10

Complete this analogy.

Pail is to __________ as reek is to wreak.

pale

bucket

smell

cause

taste

Explanation

To begin with "reek" means smell very badly or strongly and "wreak" means to cause, to inflict, to make happen. These two words sound the same, but have different meanings, so they are "homonyms." Which of these words is a "homonym" of "pail" (a bucket)? The correct answer is "pale" which means to be drained of color, to have a white complexion.

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