SSAT Elementary Level Verbal : Homonyms

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #31 : Homonyms

Complete this analogy.

Rays is to raze as __________.

Possible Answers:

hand is to thumb

iris is to flower

fire is to kindle

leap is to jump

war is to wore

Correct answer:

war is to wore

Explanation:

"Rays" and "raze" are homophones, or words that sound the same but look different and mean different things. "War" and "wore" are also homophones, so "war is to wore" is the correct answer.

Example Question #31 : Homonyms

Complete this analogy.

Bail is to bale as bawl is to __________.

Possible Answers:

call

fall

bite

ball

bail

Correct answer:

ball

Explanation:

Bail and bale are homonyms just as bawl and ball are homonyms. 

Example Question #67 : Specific Terminology And Homonyms

Complete this analogy.

For is to four as __________.

Possible Answers:

men is to gem

grace is to place

five is to high

fair is to fare

click is to stick

Correct answer:

fair is to fare

Explanation:

"For" and "four" are homophones, just as "fair" and "fare" are.

Example Question #32 : Homonyms

Complete this analogy.

Feet is to feat as __________.

Possible Answers:

right is to wrong

try is to tree

pop is to burst

milk is to milkshake

knew is to new

Correct answer:

knew is to new

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.

Example Question #33 : Homonyms

Complete this analogy.

Fair is to fare as faze is to __________.

Possible Answers:

linger

leap

praise

unnerve

phase

leap

Correct answer:

phase

Explanation:

The analogy is intending to compare homonyms, or words with different meanings and/or spellings that sound alike. The only homonym of "faze" in the choices is "phase," so it is the correct answer. "Praise" rhymes with "faze," but it does not sounds exactly like "faze," so it doesn't match "faze" in a way that is analogous to the relationship between "fair and fare." "Unnerve" is a synonym of "faze," but since "fair" (just) and "fare" (the price of a ticket on certain modes of transportation or food available) are not synonyms, we are not looking for a synonym of "faze." "Linger" and "leap" are unrelated to "faze" in this context.

Example Question #70 : Specific Terminology And Homonyms

Complete this analogy.

Tail is to tale as soar is to __________.

Possible Answers:

story 

sore 

fly 

leg 

tired 

Correct answer:

sore 

Explanation:

"Tale" is a homonym of "tail"; homonoyms are words that sound the same but have different meanings. So, to solve the analogy, you need to pick out an answer choice that sounds the same as "soar." "Sore" sounds the same as "soar," so "sore" is the correct answer.

Example Question #34 : Homonyms

Complete this analogy.

Allowed is to __________ as flour is to flower.

Possible Answers:

aloud

plant

grow

forbidden

accepted

Correct answer:

aloud

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.

Example Question #35 : Homonyms

Complete this analogy.

Sear is to seer as __________ is to dough.

Possible Answers:

doe

bread

money

flour

flower

Correct answer:

doe

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.

Example Question #36 : Homonyms

Complete this analogy.

Kernel is to __________ as elicit is to illicit.

Possible Answers:

popcorn

illegal

colonel

teeth

legal

Correct answer:

colonel

Explanation:

"Elicit" means draw out a response from and "illicit" means against the rules, illegal. These two words are "homonyms," so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a homonym of "kernel." The correct answer is "colonel." To help you, a "kernel" is a piece of a nut, a seed, a grain and a "colonel" is a position in the army, a leader of a group of soldiers. Additionally, "illegal" means not legal, against the law.

Example Question #37 : Homonyms

Complete this analogy.

Ewe is to __________ as hall is to haul.

Possible Answers:

you

male

sheep

carry

female

Correct answer:

you

Explanation:

"Hall" and "haul" (carry, transport) are "homonyms," so to solve this analogy you need to figure out which of these words sounds like "ewe." The correct answer is "you." To help you "ewe" means female sheep.

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