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 #11 : Homonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Son is to sun as __________.

Possible Answers:

dare is to dear

truth is to lie

hair is to hare

card is to cash

feel is to heel

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:

aloud

permitted

five 

denied 

forbidden 

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

equal

fare 

honest 

kind 

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:

animal

know 

study 

learn 

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:

part

maid 

forced 

fragment 

cleaner 

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:

garbage is to trash

hips are to torso

pro is to professional

hole is to whole

bold is to bowl

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:

seven is to lucky

fitness is to gym

we'll is to we will

eye is to I

hold is to hole

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:

or is to score

sea is to see

putty is to puddle

test is to quiz

zero is to hero

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:

earn is to urn

far is to fore

date is to gate

shark is to shack

line is to square

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:

one is to three

for is to four

glow is to grow

house is to building

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.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors