SSAT Elementary Level Verbal : Homonyms

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SSAT Elementary Level Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Son is to sun as __________.

Possible Answers:

dare is to dear

feel is to heel

card is to cash

truth is to lie

hair is to hare

Correct answer:

hair is to hare

Explanation:

"Son" and "sun" are homophones—they are pronounced the same, but have different definitions. So, we should look for another pair of homophones. Thus, the best answer choice is "hair is to hare"!

Example Question #12 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Four is to for as allowed is to __________.

Possible Answers:

forbidden 

aloud

denied 

permitted

five 

Correct answer:

aloud

Explanation:

"Four" and "for" are two words that sound the same, but mean different things, so they are homonyms. To solve this analogy, you have to figure out which answer choice is the best homonym of "allowed." The correct answer is “aloud" because "allowed" and "aloud" sound the same but mean different things.

Example Question #13 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Ate is to eight as fair is to __________.

Possible Answers:

eat

kind 

honest 

equal

fare 

Correct answer:

fare 

Explanation:

Ate and eight are homonyms, or words that sound the same, but have different meanings. So, to solve the analogy, you need to pick out a word that is pronounced like "fair." The only answer choice that sounds the same as "fair" is "fare," so "fare" is the correct answer.

Example Question #14 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Bare is to bear as knew is to __________.

Possible Answers:

learn 

know 

study 

animal

new 

Correct answer:

new 

Explanation:

"Bare" and "bear" sound the same but have different meanings, so "bare" is a homonym of "bear." So, to solve the analogy, you need to pick out a word that sounds like "knew." The only word that sounds like knew is “new,” so that is the correct answer.

Example Question #15 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Whole is to hole as made is to __________.

Possible Answers:

forced 

part

maid 

cleaner 

fragment 

Correct answer:

maid 

Explanation:

"Whole" and "hole" are two words that sound the same, but have different meanings; so, they are homonyms of one another. To solve this analogy, you have to determine which answer choice sounds like (is a homonym of) "made." The correct answer is “maid.”

Example Question #16 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Waist is to waste as __________.

Possible Answers:

hips are to torso

garbage is to trash

hole is to whole

bold is to bowl

pro is to professional

Correct answer:

hole is to whole

Explanation:

"Waist" and "waste" are homophones, meaning that they are pronounced the same, but have different meanings. So, we need to look for an answer choice that also consists of a pair of homophones. So, the best answer choice is "hole is to whole"!

Example Question #17 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Stairs are to stares as __________.

Possible Answers:

we'll is to we will

eye is to I

seven is to lucky

hold is to hole

fitness is to gym

Correct answer:

eye is to I

Explanation:

"Stairs" and "stares" are homophones, meaning that they are pronounced the same, but have different meanings. So, we need to look for an answer choice that also consists of a pair of homophones. So, the best answer choice is "eye is to I"!

Example Question #18 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Sale is to sail as __________.

Possible Answers:

putty is to puddle

or is to score

zero is to hero

sea is to see

test is to quiz

Correct answer:

sea is to see

Explanation:

"Sale" and "sail" are homophones, which means that they are pronounced the same way, but have different definitions. Thus, we are looking for a pair of homophones as our answer, making "sea is to see" the best answer choice!

Example Question #19 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Loan is to lone as __________.

Possible Answers:

far is to fore

shark is to shack

date is to gate

line is to square

earn is to urn

Correct answer:

earn is to urn

Explanation:

"Loan" and "lone" are homophones, which means that they are pronounced the same way, but have different definitions. Thus, we are looking for a pair of homophones as our answer, making "earn is to urn" the best answer choice!

Example Question #20 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Two is to too as __________.

Possible Answers:

house is to building

one is to three

glow is to grow

for is to four

who is to shoe

Correct answer:

for is to four

Explanation:

The only thing "too" and "two" have in common, besides starting with a "t," is that they are homophones: they sound the same, but have different meanings. So, the correct answer will also be a pair of homophones, which means that it's "for is to four." "Glow" and "grow" rhyme, as do "who" and "shoe," but while these words rhyme, they do not sound exactly the same when you say them.

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