SSAT Elementary Level Verbal : Homonyms

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

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #323 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Blue is to blew as . . .

Possible Answers:

buy is to bye

green is to grass

river is to water

whiskers are to cat

electricity is to refrigerator

Correct answer:

buy is to bye

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." 

Example Question #1 : Homonyms

Red is to read as hare is to

Possible Answers:

here

hair

oxygen

none of the other answers

heir

Correct answer:

hair

Explanation:

Red and read are homonyms just as hare and hair are homonyms. 

Example Question #2 : Homonyms

Bat is to batt as week is to

Possible Answers:

wake

woke

weak

work

none of the other answers

Correct answer:

weak

Explanation:

Both sets of words are homonyms.  

Example Question #324 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Aid is to aide as site is to __________.

Possible Answers:

help

love 

assist 

anage

cite 

Correct answer:

cite 

Explanation:

"Aid" and "aide" are two words that sound the same, but mean different things. "Aid" means help, and an "aide" is an assistant. When two words sound the same but have different meanings, we call them homonyms. Which of these answer choices sounds most like "site"? The correct answer is “cite.” "Site," which means location, is a homonym of "cite," which means quote.

Example Question #1 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Sale is to sail as weigh is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Vend

Demand

Measure 

Sell

Way

Correct answer:

Way

Explanation:

"Sale" and "sail" are homonyms, so to solve this analogy, you have to find the word that sounds most like "weigh." The correct answer is “way.”

Example Question #1 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Some is to sum as plain is to __________.

Possible Answers:

add

fly 

many 

bare 

plane 

Correct answer:

plane 

Explanation:

"Some" and "sum" are two words that sound the same, but mean different things. So, they are homonyms. To solve this analogy, you have to find the answer choice that sounds like "plain." "Plain" and "plane" are homonyms, so "plane" is the correct answer.

Example Question #2 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Weak is to week as meat is to __________.

Possible Answers:

meet 

strong 

shy 

pork 

introduce 

Correct answer:

meet 

Explanation:

"Weak" and "week" are two words that sound the same, but mean something different. So, they are homonyms. Which answer choice sounds the same as meat? The correct answer is “meet.” Meet and meat are also homonyms.

Example Question #2 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Pour is to poor as weight is to __________.

Possible Answers:

dense 

scale

rich 

heavy 

wait 

Correct answer:

wait 

Explanation:

"Pour" is a homonym of "poor"; homonyms are words that sound the same, but have different meanings. So, to solve this analogy, you need to pick out an answer choice that sounds the same as "weight." The only word that sounds like weight is “wait," so "wait" is the correct answer.

Example Question #3 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Eight is to ate as ___________.

Possible Answers:

door is to handle

dinner is to seven

song is to lyric

queen is to king

sew is to so

Correct answer:

sew is to so

Explanation:

"Eight" and "ate" are homophones, or words that are pronounced the same, but have different meanings. So, we are looking for an answer that has a pair of homophones. Thus, the best answer is "sew is to so"!

Example Question #4 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Hear is to here as __________

Possible Answers:

card is to cord

card is to deck

read is to reed

look is to book

tour is to torn

Correct answer:

read is to reed

Explanation:

"Hear" and "here" are homophones, or words that are pronounced the same, but have different meanings. So, we are looking for an answer that has a pair of homophones. Thus, the best answer is "read is to reed"!

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors