Homophones and Homographs — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Read: 'The deep bass thundered from the speakers as the band warmed up.' What does bass mean here?
A) a low musical sound or instrument
B) a freshwater fish
C) a tall basket
D) a wooden box
In musical contexts, bass refers to low notes or a low-pitched instrument, not the fish that shares the spelling.
2. Read: 'Grandfather will lead us along the rocky trail to the old cabin.' What does lead mean?
A) a heavy gray metal
B) to guide or go in front
C) a thin wire
D) a pencil tip
Here lead is a verb meaning to guide; the metal lead is unrelated to walking trails or directing others.
3. Read: 'A small tear rolled down her cheek when she finished the novel.' What does tear mean?
A) to rip something quickly
B) a hurried run
C) a salty drop from the eye
D) a loud shout
Tear pronounced with a long e means a drop of salty liquid from the eye, often during sadness or strong feeling.
4. Read: 'Please wind the long red ribbon around the gift before tying the bow.' What does wind mean?
A) air moving outdoors
B) a winter storm
C) an instrument family
D) to wrap or coil around
Wind, rhyming with mind, is a verb meaning to coil or wrap, different from the noun wind that means moving air.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. He caught a huge bass in the lake before sunset yesterday.
Here bass names a fish caught in a lake, not the low musical sound that shares the spelling.
2. The pipes were made of solid lead in the old building.
Lead pronounced like led names a heavy metal once used in pipes, different from the verb meaning to guide.
3. The ship's bow cut sharply through the rolling ocean waves.
Bow can mean a ribbon, a bend, or a ship's front; here ocean waves point to the ship's front.
4. She decided to refuse the offer because it felt unfair.
Refuse pronounced with stress on the second syllable means to decline; the noun refuse means trash.
5. Workers collected the refuse from every bin along the avenue.
Here refuse, stressed on the first syllable, means trash collected for disposal, not the verb meaning to decline.